The holidays are newly over. People are settling into their usual routines, ready to start school or work. And, despite the fact that we are all sad about the holidays being over, people are feeling good. People are looking good. People are walking around in their new wardrobes, listening to music on their new headphones and texting on their new iPhones (or are they iPads? I can hardly tell the difference). It is almost as if post-holiday season is better than the actual season. 

When we would get back from break in high school, the biggest worry of my Christian friends would be the debut of their new clothes. It is almost as if they were introducing a daughter into society, like in Austenian days. Girls would wear their new Nike sneakers one day, wear a couple of old outfits to break it up and then introduce their new North Face jacket. I can’t blame them; they just wanted to keep everyone on their toes.  

Speaking of keeping people guessing, I never quite knew what the trend for gift-giving would be each year. I went to middle school and high school with the same people, and since I lived vicariously through the Christian kids during the holidays, I noticed a change in the gifts over the years. Early on, in middle school, tracksuits from PINK and Juicy Couture were the thing. In later years, there was a gradual increase in sophistication when my friends got their lounging clothes from Lululemon or a coat from Anthropologie. Uggs shifted to over-the-knee Steve Maddens, and the desire for a Nintendo DS changed to wanting a MacBook. Yay, maturity!

Despite not celebrating Christmas, I love it. It gives me a month off from school, and I get to hear about all the cool presents people receive. And, honestly, I don’t mind one bit that my friends come back dressed better than me — it’s not like that is super hard to do. But, I would be lying if I said that I am not a tiny bit jealous of the new drone my friend got for Christmas. 

She got a drone. 

I guess the moral of my story is to share your Christmas gifts with your non-Christian friends. Let them fly your drone.