December.

That time of the year has come, where we should all get the red and green decorations out - as well as a pen and a piece of paper to make the endless list of presents, brainstorming for the perfect Christmas dinner and getting together for the 24th and 25th of December.

Ever since I was a kid, Christmas was like the best day ever. Tradition (at home) stated that one afternoon at the beginning of December would be entirely dedicated to decorating the house with the Christmas tree and baby Jesus' manger. From the 16th of December, a different household would organise their own novena night to then feast with tons of Colombian treats. And on Christmas Eve (the actual Christmas Day for us), we would gather around the house of the elders of the family, have our Christmas turkey and wait until midnight to open the presents.

Buñuelos, natilla, novena, pavo... Oh, I miss it.

When the time came to fly to Europe, I spent my holidays with my family in England, where Christmas Eve was all about making mulled wine, listening to Christmas carols and impatiently looking at the tree full of presents. Christmas Days usually came with the best dinners ever, family reunions and a warm heart. Cold winters, family days and dessert overdose.

This year, however, will be totally different, as I will spend my first Christmas in Turkey (and hopefully not the last!). Having my parents over will give more of a home-y touch to it, and we are already planning and scrutinizing our Christmas dinner. This year, no turkey, novena or jolly villancicos, but the pleasure of having a little Christmas tree at home, decorating the office with handcrafted festive Christmas drawings and *maybe* having a Secret Santa at work.

I am truly looking forward to seeing how the 25th of December will be nothing more than a normal day, to learning how to say 'Merry Christmas' in Turkish and to wearing my Father Christmas' slippers to go to my classes on Christmas Eve. Gotta get the spirit going...