December is here! I'm doing my best to document it as much as I can, whether it be through my planner, through my phone camera, or here on my blog.

I think December is that time of the year when people have a lighter spirit because of Christmas and New Year festivities. Gifts are bought, decorations are out, recipes are prepared, and Christmas songs fill the air. For most, this is the time to wind down, reflect, and spend more time together with family and friends. At the end of the hustle and bustle of the year, it seems we all go back to our meaningful relationships, to celebrate with our favorite humans in this life. 

Yet I know the opposite could be true. Some people may feel lonely, and it may be felt even more this year due to the pandemic. Most of the world associate this time of the year with lots of gatherings, though it may not be the same or possible for everyone. 

But at the same time, it may be good to remember that this is the year where we were challenged to stay connected and to get creative in doing so. I am just thankful we have the technology-- we can instantly call or send messages to our loved ones. We had check-ins, we played online games, or we simply had each other on the line while doing something else... it counts. 

So I hope whenever you (this is a note for myself as well) feel lonely, please call a friend. You know how the saying goes: we get by with a little help from our friends ; - ) 

Personally, I was hoping to have the family complete this year, with my parents and I visiting my sister in Texas, but it seems we will instead connect through video chat as we always do. And that is okay. What matters is we are healthy and safe, and I wish the same for everyone else. 

Allow me to share a bit on how my days have been ~

• I have been playing Christmas songs on my flute after work. Just the ones from my hymnal book. I was inspired by one of my morning walks; I would come across a certain neighbor's house from where I could hear someone practicing the piano. It's almost always a slow song with momentary pauses, but I can tell they just simply enjoy playing. I wanted that same joy for myself as well, which is why I have been bringing out my flute a lot more lately.

• Things at work have been winding down, with just a few more things to arrange here and there. At this point, I have already started reflecting about how the year was at work, and how I hope to do even better for next year. I will be taking a 3 week break, and I cannot wait! Surely I will have ample time to write more. 

• We had our team connectivity event last Friday. It was a virtual painting activity, wherein we were following along an instructor who coached us through Zoom. It was a fun time with my work colleagues because I think it was their first time to paint on canvas, but it was for me just the perfect time to zone out and lose myself in every color and stroke. I did feel a bit hurried though, but I understood we had the booking for a limited time only. It made me want to paint more on my own, and that's exactly what I've done this weekend (allow me to share more of what I made on a separate post!). 

• Right after the virtual painting, we had our exchange gifts session. We had a secret santa list generated a week earlier, so we were able to send out our gifts through online shopping. I am not a huge fan of doing exchange gifts, but I like our mechanics because we know exactly what we're going to receive since we can share our wish list. It's a different story if it was a mystery.. I probably would not care to join, or I would prefer receiving cash.. haha! What do you guys think of exchanging gifts if you're in the dark with what you'll receive? 

• I still do my morning walks, but it's starting to get colder. Perhaps this coming week, I will be wearing a light jacket. During my catch ups with office counterparts, they've started noting how cold it's becoming on their side of the earth, and how the air has become a lot drier. I, for one, cannot relate as we only have two seasons here in the Philippines. I think having the cold air is the coldest it can possibly get.. no chances of snow here!

• Saturday yesterday was filled with spontaneity. It has been a very long time since I felt the genuine thrill of a spontaneous day. I finished my chores in the morning, and was thinking of napping the entire afternoon away. Just then, I got a text from my friend asking if I wanted to play badminton. I said yes! My friends came to my house, then we went to the park where we have a badminton court. We played for a good two hours, then had dinner in my friend's house. We caught up so much, together with my friend's family which was so great (socially distanced, of course, and we washed our hands in every opportunity). Then I had to leave, as I had to join another Zoom socials by 8pm; it was with my church group and it was going to be the last for the year (I almost forgot to join until one of them reminded me eeep). I then joined right away when I got back home, and we played an impromptu round of Kahoot! which is a trivia game online. It was my first time to host it with my church group (I always just did it with work colleagues), and it was a lot of fun. After this, I had another impromptu call with a friend.. just because. I officially ended the day at midnight, something I am not used to anymore, but I seemed to be very flexible on this day. 

• It is Sunday today, and it seems like the sun has set much earlier than it usually does in the year.. I took it slow today: listened to podcasts, watched vlogs, wrote on my planner, listened to music, and ordered vegan burger online which arrived in less than 30 mins. Cool! I will share my recommendations on a Recent Loves post ; - ) 

I remember the past years, where I would fit so many social gatherings into my schedule as much as possible whenever December came. It was both thrilling and tiring at the same time but now, I am finding sheer delight in the balance of being present in my moments of solitude and moments of being with loved ones whether in-person or virtually. 

I am closing this entry with one of my favorite Christmas songs: