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Please have snow and mistletoe,
The four weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas seemed like they stretched on for longer most years. For Katie, the days before her favorite holiday were typically agony. Ever since she was a kid of no more than ten, in her pink Christmas pajamas and with her hair in pigtails, she'd always count down the days until Christmas.
What was better than a magical holiday filled with family, friends, food and fun? Katie couldn't think of much -- until recently.
Why recently, you may ask? Well, this year was different than all of the years prior. That was because she'd been offered an internship at a very prestigious firm. It was her dream job, really. All of her Christmas wishes wrapped into one.
The only downside was that it was in beautiful Honolulu, Hawaii. Hardly a downside to some, but it was 4,957 miles away from her home in New York City (she'd counted) and she had to work over the holidays, so there was no going home.
She would be 4,957 miles away from her loved ones on her favorite holiday. As much pride Katie had for reaching such a level in her career already at such a young age, she knew that nothing in this life was really perfect. On the pros and cons list, this was the only thing that fell into the 'con' list -- but this thing meant nearly everything to her.
Katie loved her family, and being away from home at Christmastime meant that there would be no late night trips around the suburbs, looking at the bright lights of greens, blues, and purples. There would be no nights huddled underneath blankets while watching the Food Network with her mother or helping her father cook Christmas dinner.
She wouldn't be able to have that magical Christmas kiss under the mistletoe with her boyfriend, Aaron, either.
Call it corny, cheesy or anything in between, it didn't matter to Katie. She was a hopeless romantic at heart and this move made that fact all the more hopeless.
Walking along one of Honolulu's beautiful beaches, which was something she often did to clear her mind, she had a war waging on in her mind. She was over the moon with the opportunity she'd earned, but the cost was her family. The cost was spending Christmas alone.
The cost outweighed the benefits, really. At any other time of the year, she would be fine with staying away from her family and Aaron (honestly, some days she would prefer it), but not now.
