Tag: christmas

Christmas Reading And Watching

Something completely out of my character, but I guess I needed some decompression :). Quite unexpectedly, I found myself listening to Audible Originals’ “Mistletoe Murders” – all three seasons, and I utterly enjoyed it! Literally, what I needed! Also, after two months of not touching my Apple Vision, I finally pulled it out and charged, and found that there were a couple of upgrades in between, which resulted in a better user experience, and also that there were several new immersive videos, including the first non-documentary “Submerged.”

Also, I had a couple of people over and even had time to drink hot spiced wine with cheese, crackers, and lots of cookies! And I had some holiday drinks in the Charmers Cafe:

Now, all that’s left is half of the workday, making a daytime New Year for my mom, and then cheering the actual New Year with Igor on Chicago River!

RP Stands For Rogers Park

That’s in case you didn’t notice this abbreviation for those three and a half years I lived here. Not everything is rosy in RP, but I am so happy I moved here!

On Monday, when Nadia and I were walking back home from the Common Cup, Nadia noticed a new mural – I remember when the contest for the new mural was announced, but somehow, I passed by in a hurry several times without noticing what exactly was painted.

Below is the new mural – all three parts, and that’ all you need to know about RP!

Actually, there is one more thing you need to know! On December 25, when I walked from the Jarvis Red Line station to the back entrance of our building in my red coat carrying half-empty red luggage, I heard, “Merry Christmas, Hettie!” three times!

Merry Merry Chicago One More Time

When I realized that I wouldn’t be able to take Nadia to the Christmas concert on December 20, I offered an alternative plan: I took December 23 off, purchased the ticket for matinee performance on that day, and suggested to pick up Nadia on the evening of December 22, and then come back with her on December 23 and stay to celebrate Christmas. Unfortunately, there were no Amtrak tickets available for me for “swapping a suitcase for a child” (the only acceptable train was sold out), so Anna had to drive to Kenosha, and I took Metra there (and took another Metra back 20 minutes later). I packed a gigantic luggage with presents and all the things I needed in Milwaukee so that the next day, Nadia and I could travel light.

The trip back was very long, but Nadia entertained herself by reading all the names of the stops and keeping track of them – for some reason, stops had not been announced on this trip!

The next morning, we went to Common Cup for breakfast (I am so glad Nadia likes Common Cup as much as I do – yay!).

Then Nadia decorated all of the remaining cookies, and I was impressed by her skills! I told her that next Christmas, I will request her help in my cookies’ operation!

Continue reading “Merry Merry Chicago One More Time” →

Chicago Union Station Decorated For Christmas

My Christmas celebration has not been going exactly as planned, but there were lots of happy moments and things to admire, including the Union Station Great Hall Christmas display.

Continue reading “Chicago Union Station Decorated For Christmas” →

Pre-Christmas Activities

I had a couple of days when I was not 100% absorbed by work crises and mailing cookies, which gave me some chances to enjoy Christmas activities.

I went to Harold Washington Library to listen to a midday Brass Christmas Concert (the quality was rather low, but I wanted to support a community event.

I went to the Christkindle Market “with purpose” and had a hot cider in a souvenir mug, bought more roasted nuts, spiced teas, some small gifts, and some sweets just for myself (nobody except for Boris likes marzipans the way I do!)

Continue reading “Pre-Christmas Activities” →

New Ornaments

I have a lot of new ornaments this season, mostly brought from different places I visited this year. To my embarrassment, now I have so many that I do not always remember where some of the ornaments are from!

This year’s Christkindle Market
Helsinki
A present from my friends from Dublin
From Helsinki
From Ann Arbor’s Artisan Market

Cookie-Packing And Shipping

Although I managed to bake and decorate (with Igor’s help) enough cookies to send all my international packages and most domestic ones, I didn’t have enough time to pack them and print the labels. Knowing too well the speed with which they are (not) moving during the holiday season, I had no option other than to keep packing until done. Originally, I wanted to take Monday, December 9, off, but our remote manager was visiting Chicago that week, so I had to be in the office every day except for Friday (which I also took off). I ended up with several sleepless nights, but the mission was accomplished.

Unfortunately, none of the days which I took off to finish my Christmas stuff was spend on that – things kept piling up, and I kept doing everything except for Christmas (more on that to come).

After last year’s stolen packages disaster, I decided not to schedule a pickup anymore and brought all parcels to the post office in four separate trips, plus two Igor’s trips. The most frustrating part was (and still is) that most of the international packages didn’t leave Chicago yet, ten days after I deposited them at the post office. Overall, I did much better this year. I finally figured out how to create batches, and also, most of my recipients are in my USPS address book. So it not for the traffic jam at Chicago International Distribution Center, things would be perfect!

This year’s counts:

  • 1101 cookies
  • 29 parcels
  • 14 gifted in-person boxes
  • Gigantic box for the office
  • Still something left!

Several domestic packages made it to their recepients, but none of the international. Also, I received a package from my friends from Ireland:

I love this ornament! It’s already on my Christmas tree, and I need to take pictures of all my new ornaments!

The First Nutcracker

On Sunday, I took Nadia for her first Nutcracker, and the experience was exactly as I hoped it would be! Anna read the story to the girls, and they listened to the whole ballet while driving to Chicago, so Nadia was ready and excited. We had tickets in the second row and were exceptionally lucky because nobody was sitting in front of Nadia! It had to be a last-minute cancellation because the whole first row was taken when I purchased these tickets.

Everything was pure magic! Nadia was entirely mesmerized by the performance, and for a good reason! I can’t even describe how much I love Chicago’s Nutcracker, where the story unfolds in the barracks of the immigrant workers summoned to construct the World Columbia Exposition!

I saw this Nutcracker at least six times, probably more, and I can’t stop admiring it!

Together

Vlad is in Chicago this week, and since it does not happen very often, everybody adjusted their plans. Anna, John, and the girls arrived on Saturday morning, and we all met with Vlad for brunch at Revival in Andersonville.

It was great to be together – it was at least a year since last time. Also, it was great to be in Andersonville. I realized that I have almost never been there since Vlad has not worked there for years, and I missed its vibe and being able to walk and stop at different shops and meet people.

Christmas On My Balcony