The Beauty of Simplicity

Yes, I celebrated Christmas many miles away from home. I didn’t spend Christmas like I have the past 23 years with my family, I didn’t sleep in sleeping bags underneath our Christmas tree with my sisters, I didn’t get woken up by a dog licking my face, I didn’t wake up Christmas morning and share the wonder of Christmas with those closest to me, I didn’t see the faint covering of snow on the ground outside, I didn’t have a Christmas tree with ornaments and lights, I didn’t participate in my family’s traditions of eating way too much food all day long and playing countless games, but I did still celebrate Christmas.

This year I was in Cambodia. This year was different.  I did go for a 5 mile run on the streets seeing the sunrise along the riverfront.  I did serenade the girls we teach with Christmas carols that they surprisingly loved. I did enjoy bargaining in the market for gifts to fill up hand-made stockings for my flatmates. I did sing nearly every Christmas carol I knew of with a group of unknown friends who opened up their home as we joined together to eat, fellowship, and sing songs alongside two violinists. I did have a sleepover under our Christmas tree made out of string and construction paper balloon balls. I did wake up Christmas morning to two friends dear to my heart pouncing on me shouting “It’s Christmas morning!” I did receive more than I could ever want in one small gift alone, I did spend a large sum of the day doing a puzzle. I did help bring a plate of cookies to our landlord and say Merry Christmas in Khmer (kind of). I did see my entire family and join in with Becca’s family for Christmas over skype.

Christmas in Cambodia was unforced. With little to no decorations, lights, signs or symbols, or anticipation of the coming of Christmas, it could easily have been forgotten. Very few people only have one day off, for most it is just another day in the streets of Cambodia. However, there are several good things about Christmas in Cambodia. Since it’s barely celebrated, it is cherished so much more. Christmas is simple and that’s what I enjoyed most about it. We spent a few hours making decorations, a few hours cooking, a day or two of Christmas shopping, and then it was done. Don’t get me wrong, it was challenging for a lot of reasons, but I enjoyed experiencing an uncommercialized not overly done Christmas. People didn’t spend days, weeks, or months in advance excessively planning or preparing, instead it was refreshing, simplistic, and original. This year, I was reminded again that the little things, the rare things are what are most sacred and precious in life. I cherished the simple things surrounding Christmas, because it was limited.

Hope you have had a wonderful time enjoying friends and family and holiday traditions surrounded by the birth of Christ. Merry Christmas from Cambodia!