Christmas - Past, Present & Future ...

Play on, another year has almost finished so its time to get excited for the Christmas period. I have to admit I'm quite stressed at the moment with job rejections and shady broken job offers so the holidays haven't been my priority. Looking back on Christmas's past and present I can't grumble! I know the real workings of Christmas now! Has the magic changed?
Turning back the hands of time to Christmas 2012 I feel its only natural that I flashback to my New York City experience. I embraced a Filipino take on Thanksgiving, dined on some Peruvian food with my girls and welcomed another Virgin Atlantic flight into Newark Liberty! I was quite frankly dreading the festive season because I had never experienced the festive season away from home, but I learnt being away can be just as good during Christmas time. October showed me Thanksgiving, my friend Leah took me under her wing by inviting me to her food fueled celebration. I met her extended family, ate some lovely food and had a great time! Through my fear I knew that my Christmas in NJ would be far from miserable!
Marrying the night I, Fiorella, Valerie and Leah reunited for a pre-Christmas meal to remember! Choosing Pio Pio in Hell's Kitchen, we blagged a lovely quiet booth in the middle of that bustling restaurant. Our food was beautiful, but the company was truly priceless so I'll keep that memory close. Christmas Eve served Chinatown overness with a healthy serving of Asian food and Bubble Tea to complement my visit to the world famous Christmas tree at the Rockefeller Center! Valerie shared her Christmas Day with me, we enjoyed a cosy Christmas afternoon with her friends family. Closing our big day we welcomed the VS17 Virgin Atlantic flight into Newark Liberty, I never got paid double! I won't say nothing but I hope to spend another Christmas in New Jersey and New York City!
I know the festive period is all about being merry but I took that the next level last Christmas in 2013! Family sure comes first so I traveled back from university to enjoy the Christmas holiday because final year was taking the Michael! I didn't ask for a lot that Christmas but as per usual my Nan and Granddad's living room was bursting with presents that Christmas morning! Having missed the previous Christmas I was very excited to see my new cousins enjoy their day, I dare say they had a great time. I had asked for a few bits and bobs, including Icona Pop's new album and a book about the hermit kingdom of North Korea. I thanked everyone for their kind gifts but appreciated one thing a little bit too much that Christmas Day! Filling my cup from dinnertime I indulged in two litres of Gin mixed with Tonic! Eating my Christmas dinner was a winner but I couldn't a word together! I was very merry B!
With age I have realised that Christmas isn't about the lights or the presents its a stressful day and the build up to the day is crazy for those who trudge around the town looking for the perfect gifts. Having  my Christmas of independence I appreciated the calm that I experienced, fast-forwarding one year I was surrounded by a sea of stress and wrapping paper so I hit the bottle big time! I can understand why Christmas is dubbed one of the most 'stressful' holidays of them all! Kids in general go mental with the excitement of the day and the build up isn't that calm anyway! I loved my Christmas's when I was a boy so I know I'm partial to some alcoholic beverages to dumb the crazy! Christmas 2013 taught me nothing new, I'm a sucker for a drink because you know I love my liquor! I still need to watch my Cabaret DVD! My younger cousins enjoyed their presents last year and I know through the crazy I'll be waiting for the hangover for the next one. I do love Christmas lights!
Needing something to take me away I'm looking to London for Christmas 2014! I shall be hitting the capital city up from the 22nd of December for the holidays, as per usual I'm seeking a new corner of London to discover for myself. Once I'm settled I reckon I'll hit up Shadwell and Tower Hamlets because I'm all about the London people don't care to visit during their stay, once I've got a fresh haircut and refueled with a Halal Kebab I am going to trust E17. Walthamstow looks good to me because its been re-branded as 'Awesomestow!' Those darn Hipsters have been making some changes so I have a duty to be nosy! I shall look at Christmas with new eyes this year, focusing on what I have not what I want. Let's keep walking onto something new!
I honestly thought I wouldn't be in the country for this coming holiday season because boo I had plans! Life can be a real pain in the behind so I embraced I would be opening presents and drinking with family on December the 25th, I'm quite looking forward to my London town festivities when I think about the stress this job seeking business has thrown. I won't be blogging about this Christmas in the conventional way but I'll be serving some gems during my time in London. I'm gagging for some Chinese Mooncakes! Oh I forgot to say! How are you spending your Christmas? Do you love it?! Please don't break the dawn because I'm all about that booze and juice! Let's break from tradition, forget that Turkey and open a bottle of fizz because life is a celebration! Oh yes!
Chinese Christmas in 2015?!
Joseph Harrison