Christmas Boys
Around this time of year, things start heating up for the holidays. I go to more parties and get invited out more often. I tend to work out every day and take the stairs instead of the elevator to keep the holiday pudge at bay. I get out my favourite party clothes and polish my shoes. I love the holidays.
However, I don't really celebrate Thanksgiving anymore - In Belgium it's kind of hard to get a group of Belgians over for a weekday meal of an 18 lb turkey and all of the trimmings - much less have the time to cook it. And I am sorry, there's nothing sadder than joining the American Women's Club of Brussels (AWCB) for their Annual Turkey Buffet. The AWCB is chock full of Junior League June Cleavers and State Department Spouses who make little to no effort to assimilate in to Belgian culture -they do not attempt to speak French or Flemish, they keep to themselves and form cliques. Plus, I bet they use cranberry jelly from cans bought at the NATO PX.
Since Thanksgiving is not a holiday here, people have already started with Christmas decorations and planning because there's no unwritten rule for when that stuff starts. Heck, my commune just leaves the lights up all year round anyway! It's a bit different because Saint Nicholas comes on Dec 6th or something - that's when the kids get candy put in their shoes overnight...or coal if they were bad and/or the parents have a wicked sense of humour and a drinking problem.
So many of us travel to far and distant places for Christmas, we try to get together as often as possible before mid December - when much of Europe goes into holiday hibernation - as it should be. If I were still working in the States, I think I would have customers who are panicking about year-end figures and throw deadlines at me - or worse, don't even think about Christmas and schedule meetings and conference calls around Christmas day. Blackberries burning overtime.
Here, I can say I am going to the States for 2 weeks and people decide to forego any calls and meetings until next year - no worries. Companies have annual shut downs and everyone just works around it.
Mom has started to plan my trip home. And by plan, I mean plan. So far she has scheduled every second of my first 5 days home and by my calculations, we will have to eat every meal out over the 16 days to visit all of the restaurants she wants to check out.
Another annual occurrence - the reappearance of the Christmas Boys. Around this time of year, Mom starts getting calls from various exes of mine wondering when I am coming home for the holidays. Now, as a seasoned dater of 27 years, I have a few 'friends' in my past(along with several fiances). It's curious, most of them are those who didn't really step up to the plate and couldn't at the time imagine being tied down with anyone - yet during the holidays, they like to reminisce and try it on a bit. Mom just keeps a list and reports to me each week. 'So and So called - he wanted me to make sure to tell you he called and is looking forward to seeing you at Christmas.'etc etc.
When I see these old 'friends' during the holidays, there's lots of 'I want to come see you in Belgium this spring!' Or 'Hey, let's plan a trip and met up somewhere in Europe this summer!' Or 'I will call regularly and keep in touch.'. But it never happens - they still they can't step up to the plate. And it's not their fault really. There's something so reassuring to a Washington DC man about someone who lives elsewhere. If you live in Timbuktu, they don't have to make an effort.
A few of my girlfriends used to joke that the best pick up line in DC is 'I am moving to Australia tomorrow' - (Substitute Australia for anywhere too far to travel to on a regular basis) Hours later, you are guaranteed at least a long boozy smooch if not a 'Where did those panties get to? morning after. (Not me of course, not my style) But you get the gist :-))
OK - Social calendar getting packed up. Tomorrow night at Kitty's with my Finnish, Australian Bombshell friend A-K and others (including Mr. Handsome). Various dinners and cocktail do's to attend. Gift sharing with friends - then off to DC - - Having a big Dim Sum brunch two days after getting home - can't wait! Maybe a visit or two from a Christmas Boy.
posted by Brussels Confidential @ 9:46 AM
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