Friday, December 28, 2012

The Christmas Recap

I sent this list to my parents of things to do while I was in Utah:

to see the Temple Square lights
to go christmas lights hunting - christmas tree lane!!!
to drink hot cocoa by the soft light of the christmas tree
to eat chocolate covered cinnamon bears (homemade?)
to see Les Miserables
to go shopping
to do a puzzle
fondue!

And, as of the last night on vacation, my list stands:

to see the Temple Square lights
to go christmas lights hunting - christmas tree lane!!!
to drink hot cocoa by the soft light of the christmas tree
to eat chocolate covered cinnamon bears (homemade?)
to see Les Miserables
to go shopping
to do a puzzle
fondue!


The lights at Temple Square are divine, simply gorgeous. We went to see the lights directly from the airport, because Christmas lights are just better before Christmas, and I got into Utah Christmas Eve night, so it was really the only time to go. And we had about 20 minutes before Temple Square's gates closed, and 30 more minutes before the lights surrounding the square were turned off. The benefit of going just before the lights turn off? You get the whole square to yourself - it's just you and the 70 sister missionaries walking around. Uncle John met us there and walked around the lights with us for a bit, and it was just magical. Best lights of the season.

The puzzle was ridiculous - it was an "impossible" puzzle, which I learned really means "impossible because it's manufactured to be impossible according to normal puzzle rules. Once I realized I needed to suspend my prior understanding of "pieces fitting together normally," I figured the puzzle out quickly enough. 

Chocolate covered cinnamon bears from Deseret Book - not homemade by me, but homemade by someone, and it's probably more delicious than I would've ever made them.

We went to see Les Miserables, the movie, at 12:20pm one day, and we ended up with 9:20pm tickets - it was the earliest we could get 3 seats together! So here's my feeling about this movie: I liked it a lot. I was inclined to like it from the moment it was announced, and when I go into something with that opinion, it usually holds. But I thought they did a very good job with it, and for the most part, I really enjoyed all the actors and their takes on the characters. In particular, I found myself liking Marius and Cosette more than I usually do, but of course, I still loved Eponine the most of the three - her songs are the best, with such sadness and heartbreak in them. It's hard not to feel an overwhelming compassion and pity for her and the lot she drew in life. And perhaps Russell Crowe's voice didn't quite live up to what I'm used to hearing Javert sound like, but his gravitas as Javert the character was great, so I'll forgive his general lack of power in singing. And Hugh Jackman always wins my heart, so I of course loved him.

In general, 7 of 8 activities completed is not bad! And there's still time for some hot cocoa by the fire and the Christmas tree, so I'm feeling rather fulfilled by this short trip to Utah. My parents have been fine hosts and I've enjoyed seeing my beloved grandparents, aunts and uncles, and cousins. 

So Christmas 2012 was a success! I hope all of your Christmas festivities were as full of cheer and happiness as mine have been!

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