10 on the 10th - December

That's the prompt for the 10 on the 10th by Marsha in the Middle. Sounds easy, doesn't it?
I honestly don't know, however, if I can come up with ten, but I'll give it a try.

1. This is not specifically a December thing, but more of a winter thing. Not only don't I mind it getting dark earlier, I actually like it. Even when I didn't work from home, I was used to leaving in the dark and it was okay for me to come home in the dark. It gives me a cozy feeling, just like rain does. I probably told that story before. When I was in first class, our classroom was on the ground floor. One day it got really dark during the day due to a big thunderstorm. I can still see myself sitting there thinking how wonderful it felt to be inside and safe and cozy and hear the rumbling and the heavy rain.
So people have been saying to me that I might be well suited to live where it's dark all winter, but ...

2. snow is a deal breaker. I don't like snow. I found shovelling snow deeply exhausting even when my health was still better. I absolutely hate waking up to the sound of someone shovelling snow.
Yes, it's beautiful to look at from the inside, with a nice beverage in my hand, untouched, that is. Mushy and dirty snow in the city, though - not so much. Going out to find beautiful snow - an absolute no go for me by now. As a kid, I was dragged out into the snow (not literally) and most of the time I didn't even like it then although I often didn't admit it to fit in because the others loved their sleighs and skis. It makes me think of feeling wet and cold. And of scratchy tights.

Looking down on my town from our "house mountain"
many, many, many years ago -
it looked beautiful, but I remember being so cold

3. Christmas lights. I turn into a child when I see a street lit up by Christmas lights. I loved going to the train station in the morning and look left and right to take in all the lights downtown hanging above or winding around Christmas and other trees.
It's the small sparkles that appeal to me while I have never been a fan of brightly lit rooms, for example. At home, I only turn the ceiling lights on if I really need them, but if not, I prefer spots of light here and there. I wish I could put up candles, but with the cats it has never been possible, and although I have a few battery-operated ones, it's not the same.
Of course I love Christmas ornaments as well, those I wouldn't hang up myself or am not able to hang up because my tree is too small or my cats too deadly, those that hold special memories, and handmade ones, my own or those gifted by others.

4. Christmas carols, especially the traditional ones. They make me go all fuzzy inside, always have, not the lyrics necessarily as I'm not a religious person, but the tunes. Maybe Christmas still has that childhood magic to me, the ritual and the memories that make them extra special.
I don't know why, but the last few months my street seems to be the way (home?) for groups of kids and a few days ago a bunch of them walked through laughing and loudly singing a traditional carol. It was nice.
That doesn't mean I love all carols or Christmas songs because

5. there are some I really dislike. I never seem to be able to win Whamageddon and the song about the missing two front teeth makes me want to throw something.
The songs that annoy me the most, however, are "Feliz Navidad" (which an unnamed family member likes to sing to me knowing very well how much it grates on my nerves) and "Jingle Bells".
When I was around ten years old, I sang in a children choir with my best friend from school. I can still see us dancing in a circle and singing "Jingle Bells". Over and over and over and over ... it was endless and I hated every second of it.

6. Christmas movies, specials, and reads. I have a long list of things to re-watch and re-read. I don't always manage everything, but that's okay as long as I can watch my favorite movie (see yesterday's post).

7. Going downtown. I knew it before that, but only since Covid and being allowed to work from home, I really noticed just how bad I am with crowds. I think online buying was invented for me. Of course I have some good shopping memories, but they usually have to do with the people I had with me at the time, though, not the shopping experience per se.
A lot of my problem with crowds has to do with my long commute over so many years. The longer I did it, the more I turned into an introvert.
When I go downtown now, I am always surprised how many people are out and about quite early, and in December it overwhelms me even more quickly. Pushing through a Christmas market would be rock bottom which is a pity as I like the stands themselves and also the mood, I'd even go for mulled wine, but I usually have enough after walking - or being pushed through - once and these days I don't think I'd have the nerve for even that.

8. I only started that "tradition" last year - a long Christmas vacation. I love that, vacation in summer doesn't do much for this vampire, but a December vacation does!

9. Gingerbread and chocolate "Nikoläuse" and Santas (not the same!), "Dominosteine" and "Spekulatius" may be in the shops from August on and I have totally failed last and this year in not touching any of it before December because my spirits needed some lifting, but it's still a December feeling eating my favorite gingerbread. I love all the winter spices, both in taste and scent. I love a traditional "Schnitzbrot" once a year. I love the scent of mulled wine although I rarely get the chance to drink it.

10. Gifts. There, I said it. I like getting gifts (not just on Christmas and they don't have to be big), but I think I like giving them even more.
In the last few years, however, my gift giving within my small circle has changed. I give a few personal gifts, but mostly I give donations to different charities which I know my people appreciate, just as I appreciate others doing the same as a gift for me.

Well, I made it to ten after all!
It looks as if I like a lot about December even if most of it is Christmas-related, but I'm not surprised about that because otherwise December is just another winter month for me.
If I'm in my cocoon hiding from the cold, I may as well have it nice, right? :-D