Holiday Woes and Excitements

I really adore this season. This is the first year that I'm not living at home and as I sit here looking at my partially decorated tree, listening to channel 933 on television (Sounds of the Seasons)...I just really don't want to be anywhere else. I've had a lovely time at home for Thanksgiving and the thought of going back to school with a roommate (a great one, but I'm a reclusive person at heart - little beats alone time in my book), communal bathrooms and classes just tears me a part. While I know that *I* chose to go to London a week from Saturday and in no way regret the choice, I feel as thought between that and the next week of stressful finals, papers, etc that I'm just not getting any family Christmas time. I will be getting plenty of holiday time in London and Edinburgh, but I feel so strange about leaving my family behind in this season. I suppose it is a part of growing up, but I'm just use to spending all of December Christmas shopping with my mom, coming home at night and baking cookies and watching Christmas films, wrapping gifts secretly. It is just surreal to think that I won't be doing much of that. I get home next week on Wednesday or Thursday, leave Saturday and get back the day prior to Christmas Eve. Absolutely insane. Also, this is just reminding me how much I wish I had my own place to decorate, cook and all that good stuff in. I really appreciate the residence halls and all the people they have allowed me to meet, but I honestly don't really enjoy living there most of the time. I would love to live just down the street in an apartment of some sort. I'd probably save a hell of a lot of money, as well. Anyway.
All that being said, I cannot hide my excitement for the season. I can officially break out my Christmas owl tshirt, Disneyland Christmas sweatshirt from 2007 and unashamedly blast my Christmas playlist on the way to classes. Our tree is beautiful and larger than I think it has ever been. I have some great gift ideas in mind and, admittedly, a lot of anxieties as to what to get other people. But hey, wouldn't be Christmas if there weren't a few of those, right? And I am so excited to be going back to London. It blows my mind how quickly this quarter flew by - it almost feels like I was just over there. Almost. I'm going to be doing some pretty fun things while there, among them being a trip to Edinburgh to FINALLY see the city of my hero and to see Liam, seeing Matilda: The Musical in Stratford Upon Avon and spending a day with Adam! Also, just booked tickets to see The Glass Menagerie, so that should be wonderful.
---Just accidentally closed this page. Thank goodness for Blogger autosave!---
Anyway, I don't have much else to share. One more week of way too much work and then I'm off. So here's hoping I don't fail everything between now and then, right? Hope you all had brilliant Thanksgivings and starts to your holiday seasons! Hopefully I'll write before I leave, but it's not entirely likely what with the manic stress I am feeling at this moment. xxx