029: i'll be Home for christmas🎄

Asgard is not a place it's a people ⚡️

Todos los años adornan luces de navidad por la Ramírez de Arellano desde Garden Hills Plaza hasta Los Filtros pero nunca me preguntaba quien paga esa electricidad

Y todos los años el alcalde pasa por la urba a repartir bolas plásticas pero su guagua nunca daba la vuelta por mi calle (7)

And it’s not like it was a poorly lit street, there were plenty of streetlights. Maybe more than other streets because we had the park. Or is the park scary because it’s a big open space that’s empty at night and that’s where the older kids go smoke in the gazebo all the way near the fence with the light that doesn’t turn on? It’s the suburbs anyway what kind of street are you even supposed to be scared of in a gated community?

Pero eso de fumar en el gazebo depende de la edad porque eventualmente se paraban a fumar al lado de los carros en el parking porque ya que carajo

And it used to be that everyone was home during the holidays because there wasn’t college to go away to or even thought of living on your own. Well, except for the people who always went to see the snow, that wasn’t usually us.

I can only remember opening presents in the morning for a few years. After that, it was always en Noche Buena. But I still thought it was Santa delivering the presents. I remember one year it was like 11 pm and my uncle came in running from the street, “Quick! I just saw him!” My eyes lit up like Kevin McAllister and all his cousins at the end of Home Alone 2 when they wake up to the room filled with hundreds of gifts. I ran outside, head tilted to the sky looking for a reindeer or a sign or a sound or anything. “Ah, just missed him,” my uncle said in a convincingly disappointed tone of voice. I walked back into the house head slouched thinking about how I blew my opportunity. I’d have to wait another 364 days again to try and glimpse of the man himself. But as I looked up, there they were, ALL THE PRESENTS. Presents for every single one of the 20+ family and friends gathered at my home. Even if you weren’t immediate family, my mom would always have a present for you if she knew ahead of time you were coming.

That’s just the way we do it.

Those are the types of moments you need to cherish because you’ll never get back.

We used to spark so many firecrackers in the street it looked like a war zone after everything was said and done. And the police would drive by and see all these “illegal” fireworks but say nothing. We’d just stand there and pretend to be doing nothing as they stared at us. People of all ages basically decided if we weren’t doing something wrong at the moment there was no wrong to be righted.

We always locked the dogs in the bathroom upstairs because they were scared of the sounds. Funny how we just blame the dogs for being cowards instead of asking ourselves whether these things we were exploding sending tiny bits of paper and plastic and other shit everywhere into the environment were the problem. Nobody ever cleaned up the mess in the street, at least not that I know of. We’d just throw shit everywhere and be like ok that was awesome let’s do it again in a few days and then the year after that every year forever.

As long as something is kinda fun it can’t be bad right? It’s only bad because some “sensitive” people today decided it was bad. It’s not like it was ever bad in the first place. Everything humans have ever done is good. If we decide dozens of years later it’s a bad thing it’s only because we’re too sensitive in the future. We need to be tougher, like in the old days.

Everyone must grow handlebar mustaches and wear a full three-piece suit anytime they leave the house regardless of the weather.

Let’s bring back kids working in factories while we’re at it.

Also, casually drinking scotch at 10:30 am

The air is different this time of year. Not because it’s literally different because of the seasons and the Earth’s distance from the sun, but there’s a certain sense of hope you don’t get other times during the year.

I can’t remember the last time we had a Noche Buena or Año Nuevo like one of those.

Every year I’m able to go back home for the holidays most of my friends are out. And then when I stay out (of the island) most of my friends are able to go home. I think that’s just life. But it’s taught me to appreciate the moments even more.

I’ve spent so many Thanksgivings away from home—it’s about the moment and the feeling though, not always the people.

How long can I get away with buying the minimum number of gifts for everyone I need to?

It’s a weird time of year to feel alone even when you’re surrounded by people

I didn’t 💜💜 last year but I’m going to this year 🤍💛

I just wanted to see if people would do it. The thing about counting on them though is you usually end up disappointed. But Michelle Jones-Watson said if you expect disappointment, you’ll never be disappointed.

Who the fuck is Peter Parker?

One day the Noche Buena party will be hosted at my house, and everyone will be invited and there will be a box full of random presents for all the guests and everyone will be a winner. That’s how I want it to be. And we’ll stay up all night and no waking up early for breakfast the next morning, only brunch starting after 1 pm.

I’ve spent Christmas and New Year’s in 4 different places with different people over the last 4 years (including this year). And even though I’m going to be somewhere I’ve never been before, I know I’ll be home for Christmas 🎄