Justin and I put up Christmas decorations this morning.  A few weeks ago we attended one of many Christmas bazaars that churches and community centers (both Egyptian and expat focused) host here in Cairo every year. Local Egyptian crafts are sold as well as imported Christmas themed items.  We purchased a few items at the Christmas bazaar at All Saints a few weeks ago (An episcopal church. The priest wears a standard clerical collar and shirt but a black skirt on the bottom).  We purchased a painting by a local Sudanese artist named Willam, and some sewn fabric pieces created and sold as a fundraiser for deaf children at a local deaf school. I also bought a snowman pillow I later found out was imported from China and the snowman is actually filthy with Cairo dirt.  And then, earlier this week I was so excited to find Christmas trees at the local Alfa Market!  Our (thin) fake Christmas tree was only six USD, and a packet of ornaments 5 USD...so we're pleased with our little Christmas tree on a budget!  Ahmed informed me his Muslim family puts up a Christmas tree every year so I shouldn't be surprised that we found a Christmas tree here.

10% of the Egyptian population is Christian, and most of them Coptic.  There's also a sizeable population of Orthodox Eritreans.  Coptic Egyptians as well as Orthodox Eritreans (and I think most eastern orthodox christianity?) celebrate Christmas on January 7th.  So although we'll be in Spain for our Christmas on the 25th, we'll be back in time for the Coptic Christmas.

Back to Christmas decorations.

Every year my family puts up Christmas decorations the Friday after Thanksgiving. I missed my family tons today as the Christmas decorating is an all-day family event every year.  My Dad is usually outside putting up the Christmas lights on the house, while my sister and my Mom and I work inside replacing all the normal decorations with Christmas ones, and endlessly fluffing one thing or another.  I usually set up the Christmas village and I'm sad not to get to do that this year.  Justin's family used to wait until after his Birthday (december 3rd) to put up Christmas decorations but they're putting them up this weekend too.

So in keeping with my family's tradition Justin and I put up decorations today. We put on a Frank Sinatra Christmas album, Justin surprised me with some hot chocolate he had purchased the other day, and we created our little Christmas in Cairo. Pictures below. I'm pretty happy with how cozy it feels in here now!