Living away from home, whether domestically or abroad often means sacrificing holidays with the family. This may conjure up images of sad sad people curled in the fetal position crying to beloved holiday tunes. If that sad sad person has been or will be you, I’m so sorry. My experiences with holidays away from home have been soopa wonderful. So wonderful, that as I prep to spend my first official holiday with Mr’s family (so excited!), I can’t help but sentimentally remember the people who became my family on major holidays over the last few years. To my dear Framily, you know who you are, I love you and miss you and wish you the best. Get back in my arms soon.
Thanksgiving 2005: Florence, Italy.
This was a boozy, floozy awesome event that started with pre-train breakfast burritos and tequila cappuccinos (don’t judge, it’s the Roman way), blossomed into afternoon Lambrusco and tiramisu, got kicky with tequila sunrises at a Mexican happy hour and completely degenerated into a sloppy mess during dinner with unlimited wine. I will always cringe when remembering the trip to the Ufizzi the next morning (please body, don’t puke on the Botticellis or Berninis, please?!) and the international (crying) drunk dial to my parents but it is a holiday I’ll always cherish.
Trust and believe we didn't look this pretty a few hours later.
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Thanksgiving 2008: Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Sure I was home but I came bringing joy from the South. Weekend highlights included Darryl and Thomas seeing their first dear a-hanging from the garage ceiling (good job, Dad!), an epic sister food fight (totally normal) and trying to teach Pops Apples to Apples (maybe you should stick to hunting, Dad).
Happy Thanksgiving (and Birthday, Thomas!)
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Christmas 2008: Stillwater, Minnesota
First Christmas with the Mr and we both had to work December 24th and 26th. Enter my HLP’s (heterosexual life parter) family and some fondue. So. Much. Goodness.
This is not a picture from Christmas but it includes key players.
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Christmas 2009: Seoul, Korea
An expat potluck that ended in late night noraebong and included some magical Christmas Eve snow(ball fights). We swore we’d go home at midnight as we all had early morning flights to catch. We did not. I had so much rage waiting for the Terry’s AND the airport shuttle at 5am the next morning.
A Bromace is all fun and games until you have to get up two hours after you go to sleep.
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Thanksgiving 2010: Seoul, Korea
Wintertime was in production but that did not stop me from celebrating Thanksgiving three times! A Wednesday dinner with the Mr, Thursday potluck AND a Saturday super splurge real deal Turkey Dinner from the US military base (if you live abroad you should look into this; so cheap, so good).
Lisa adorably enjoys her pie. I devour.
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Family, Framily or both; who are you celebrating with this year?
Sprinkle the Sparkle 
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