Tonight was our last night spending time with friends before leaving for our Christmas holiday. This is the first year that Chris and I have been together when we’ve been in New York City this far into December, and it’s been really fun seeing the city get decorated for Christmas and the general holiday season. It’s also been fun to spend extra time with friends we normally wouldn’t be able to see and enjoy Christmas with them, as well. We went out for some delicious Yunanese Chinese food in the East Village and went back to their apartment and played games until late. It was a relaxing, enjoyable, and stress-free evening.

When I used to go back home for Christmas, a part of my brain was stressed, thinking about the drama my parents would create around Christmas dinner preparation, who would prepare what, and who would offer to clean the dishes and the table or not. Now, when I think of Christmas, I don’t really think of stress and dread and negativity. I actually think about the stereotypical positive things that we’re “supposed” to think about. In my college’s Facebook group for “complicated family and friends relationships.” I relate less and less to the holiday stress that people express on it, even though I can relate pretty well to the other situations that are shared.