Untraditional Holidays

I've noticed that this year is one in which I've not yet celebrated a holiday in what we would call a 'traditional' way. And I've decided to commit each holiday for the rest of this year to being the same. What have I been doing instead?

New Years--rather than a big party, my best friend Aliina, myself and Luana decided to cook an enormous amount of food (prime rib, lobster, crab legs, chicken and asparagus crepes, and of course a number of delicious deserts). We barely watched the ball drop because we were still immersed in consuming the delectable dishes we had spent hours preparing (and not slaving away type preparing either, we were dancing and playing games and eating along the way).

Easter--well, in college we really don't celebrate it too much. I don't know that I even recognized easter for the day it was...maybe I went to the beach instead?

4th of July-No fireworks for me because I was at the bottom of the Grand Canyon and fireworks are banned in national parks. Rather I saw a bunch of cross-dressed mountaineers who lived at the bottom of the canyon parading between a row of tents in their flashy costumes followed by a large white sheet on which 'fireworks' were painted. I'd say hiking to the bottom of the Canyon and back up is a much better way to spend the 4th than barbecuing and watching fireworks (don't get me wrong, I do love fireworks). **pictures in the 4th of july section of blog*

And now for Thanksgiving. Again, I'm not doing the traditional thing with family and a big turkey dinner. Instead I'll be at a Yoga and Rockclimbing retreat in Joshua Tree (a national park in SD county) eating all-vegan meals with a bunch of strangers. Yoga has really developed into one of my passions this year and a friend mentioned this retreat to me so of course I immediately signed up! Here are a few pictures, but I'll have a whole post dedicated to the retreat with a whole great slideshow of pictures, don't you worry!

Christmas this year we celebrated a bit late so that all the family could be there but the traditions kept it from being a non-traditional one.

And now we're here awaiting New Years Eve celebrations (we being me, Aliina, and Luana and here being their house in Cheyenne). We've decided to stay in again and this year's menu includes...

Artichokes

Roast Duck

Lobster

Crab Legs

Homemade potato chips

a Dark Chocolate Bunt

and wine gallore..Gueverstaminer, Sirah, Madeira and much more!

It should be another beautiful night in Cheyenne for the coming of a beautiful New Year!

As for New Years resolutions...I really would like to set them but am not quite sure where to start. While the cooking is occurring I may take some time to sit aside and project my hopes for 2010!

Happy 2010!