2012 Christmas in United States

Back in India i have participated in Christmas party but not really celebrated the Christmas. But now here i get to experience some Christmas customs. So, two week before Christmas we went to cut a Christmas tree and it was fun. Pretty small tree those it was fun to cut the tree down and i saw how they clean the tree and cut it evenly in the machine and how they tie the tree carefully with a copper thread. Then decorating the tree, my host mom took a lot of time to do it and she succeed. It looked beautiful after the decoration with the lights and the stars in the tree. 

Lynn, Savanna accompany me while i was dragging the Christmas tree.

Now buying gifts for my host family, On the beginning of December CIEE exchange students in Bloomington went on a trip to Chicago and i went with them for the weekend. So i brought some presents for my host sisters and host mom. Then i asked my mother back home in India to buy shirts for my host dad and she sent it through the mail to America before Christmas and some nice jewelry for Myra and Flavia and to some of my friends. I also learned how to wrap gifts and it was hard in the beginning but it was fun at last. 

With Savana, Sylva and Jack.

Just Jack

Then my younger host sister, Sylva she is living in Los Angeles, California, she came down Bloomington, Indiana to meet her parents and celebrate the Christmas with her family. So, she is lovely sister, i wish i had her as my own sister, she was a lot of fun. I enjoyed her a lot, not even a week i spent with her but he was amazing. Then, my older host sister, i also wish i had her as my own sister too, she was different from the younger one, and her name is Savanna, she lives in Indianapolis and i was seeing her twice every month. Every time she comedown to see us, it was so good and she was strong so, fighting with her is so hard and difficult but fun. So, they both brought their boyfriends with them and they were also fun. So, a day before the Christmas, the car packed up took a enormous amount of space. 

This year they planned to have a family gathering on the Christmas day in their Grandmother's house for the Christmas day and the next day and two more days in(  ). The night before Christmas day-Christmas eve and they were telling me that they didn't make a stocking bag for me but they did make a bag for me. So Lynn said he got me a plastic bag..and I knew he was making fun..but after he showed that plastic I was little upset...but in few seconds later mom (sally) came in and asked dad to stop making fun and then Lynn showed me this bag....so, it was a great relief and joy.after few minutes everyone put in the little gifts into everyone bag and I didn't know about this tradition was simply sitting but I brought very small number of things. So I pinched in few pen's which had Chennai on the body of it in few of my cousins and aunt stocking bags. So spent some quality time with Sister part 2(Sylva) and cousins Anna, Aaron and met Uncle Peter and Mark. It was great evening, everything was amazing i never felt like a stranger, we rented a hotel near by since the house was packed. Reese(Savanna's boyfriend) and I shared a room. The next day is my Christmas and that too in USA. 

25th December 2018 
It was a beautiful morning, i believe it rained a little. We all got ready and went to Grandma's house. Where we all kept our gifts and we waited  for rest of the family to join. Meanwhile we were are all talking, once they all reached and we prayed. Then it's gift time! It was the great, the amount of gifts i got was a wholesome, few were very unexpected. Likewise, family liked my gifts too. Then we are took a group picture in front of the house. After that, we are sat together and had brunch. 

With the Reese, Luja and Aaron

Shaker Village
Then some of us event a town called Shaker Village near Lexington. It was a quite and calm farm like village. There is no connectivity at all, and only telephones worked. My host family went there to have a peaceful time since both work a lot back home. So, we stayed there for three days. That brings to the end of a wonderful Christmas week.

With Lynn and Sally