Christmas Party w/ Saturday Fellowship

I don't think I remember ever having exchanged Christmas gifts. In fact, I don't think I have ever attended a Christmas party. I think my Christmas's were always spent with my family, at home, like a regular day but with a turkey dish.

This Saturday I was also asked to help out with some of the duties in the fellowship, particularly the gift exchange organizing. I got there at around 6pm. Seiko was already organizing the gift. We had to re-wrap some of them to nobody could tell what they are. (to spice things up during the Christmas Grinch game) It was pretty stressful! I have no experience about these kind of game and didn't understand the rules. While we were organizing, I saw the list, Yurie was on it, but earlier this week she told me she didn't know whether or not she could go to fellowship this time or not. I said to Seiko, "Probably she's not coming."

Later on, as we were continue to wrap the gifts, Yurie came in to drop off the gift. I was surprised to see her, but happy. At that time I also saw her gift and the wrapping (ok I cheated) A week earlier I was browsing after Sunday service in Shibuya, looking for a suitable gift. I didn't want to get something inappropriate, but something rather useful. I saw this photoframe just in the right price range. It was made with leather front and some furry material for the back panel. It was the color of Yurie's favorite white coat. I thought it was a good gift to whomever gets it. In fact, I had wanted to buy a book on relationship that I've been reading. I wanted to include the book AND the photoframe. In the book cover I'd write, "When you have a picture of someone you love to put into this photoframe, pass the book on to the next person, but keep the frame." Unfortunately the book would take around 2 weeks to ship to me. So it was just the photoframe alone.

The gift exchange was FIERCE. I knew which gift was from Yurie, so I fought for it. (I cheated, yes.) God be praised I didn't win. On the other hand, Matt totally hated my photoframe. I really thought he could put a nice picture of him and Dajung in there. He held it up like a sore thumb, waiting for someone to steal it. I didn't say anything. Later on, I showed him the big jacket that my dear PBC coworkers bought me, but was too big for me to wear. It was a good fit for him, so I offered the jacke to him. Funny thing is, he offered the frame to me. I think I am the only one who had received my own gift back >:|

Yurie was about to go, so I followed and went with a couple of people. Near the train, I took out the photoframe and took a closer look at it, told her the story. I said, "Do you want it?" She politely said, "If it is okay with you." I was very happy to give her the frame, because essentially I bought it for her. (to put our picture in it I guess hahaha.) Later on I texted her, poking fun about earlier today when she overslept and missed her rehearsal. She replied that she was stuck on the platform. Someone was injured in an accident. She had re-opened the frame while she was on the densha earlier and realized its made of leather and suede. She loved it. I loved that she loved it.

Oh I found today we are almost 8 years apart. That's almost a decade. I never felt this old in my life. Although I look young, my mind is much weathered than my age. She's only.. 19 right now...