Hello and Seasons Greetings! In a past life (well, just two years ago), I was a serious Christmas Card fanatic.  I loved sending them and I loved getting them. Now that I live in Bulgaria this is harder.  Okay, it's not like the postal system doesn't work--it's just not as easy as in the states.  That may not even be true. The thing is it's just harder for me.  I'd have to plan in advance. I'd have to have everyone's physical addresses--not just their email addresses and then I'd have to make the time to write out cards.

So here it comes. My blogging version of the Christmas card (this way I don't even have to have email addresses or post messages on friends facebook walls but don't worry I'll also twitter you a Christmas message--that's easy just 140 characters).

My picture would be on the outside:

[caption id="attachment_1617" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Me at School "]<a href="http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/dsc01364.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-1617" title="Me at Christmas " src="http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/dsc01364.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="375" /></a>[/caption]

In this case the picture is a clever one.  It's me in the snow wearing my Bulgarian national dance costume. It evokes Bulgaria and winter without being outwardly Christmas-y. The scenery is beautiful and the snow in the trees is extremely picturesque. The photo says, I'm trying--but not too hard. I mean it's not like I am wearing a red and green Christmas sweater. It's tasteful. (Or at least I hope it is.)

Then inside the card there would be this message printed in Bulgarian:

Весела Коледа и Щастлива Нова Година.

(Merry Christmas and Happy New Year)

I'd probably just write you a little note inside under this printed greeting.  <!--more-->I'm sure that given how long the term has been and how much grading I've been doing that most of the messages--albeit handwritten--would say about the same thing: I hope that this card finds you well and I wish that I was able to deliver it to you in person.  Best wishes to you and your near and dear ones as we enter this holiday season.

Luckily for you I am not really into the whole Christmas letter-update thing.  If I was you'd also get a typed letter which gave you and update of my year. It would cover the highlights and give me a chance to brag.  My letter would probably include lines like this: I spent the 2008-09 school year in Sofia, Bulgaria on a Fulbright Scholarship teaching English at the First English Language High School and then in July just when I thought my year in Sofia was coming to a close I was offered a job teaching at the American College of Sofia, a private high school.  I accepted and my adventure continues. I'd probably list off the amazing countries I've visited and traveled through--hoping to impress you and give off an air of European sophistication (oh this is also supposed to make you jealous but in my letter I'd never let on that I knew I was doing this so I'd talk about places like Vienna, Prague, Berlin, Krakow, Sarajevo and Venice sound as common place and blase as possible). I would probably conclude with some reminiscing regarding my time thus far in Bulgaria. But I am not the kind of girl to send Christmas updates with my Christmas cards so I guess you don't have to worry about reading any of this.

All of this said, I do love Christmas and New Years and I am looking forward to spending these holidays with my family in the States.  Hopefully, I'll get a chance to celebrate 2010 with my Bulgarian friends when I return to Sofia in early January. So for today, I'll have to say in closing is that I am wishing each of you a very happy holiday season.  (Sorry. Just to be clear there are no Christmas cards in the mail this year from me.)