This December was fun. I got to go surfing, was in a parade, and celebrated Christmas. Needless to say, December was busy, fun, and a great way to end the year.
The first weekend in December, I went to an NSSA competition in Pensacola, Florida. I placed 2nd in Explorer Womens Longboard and 1st in Explorer Longboard. The trip was quick, but the waves were pretty fun and it was nice to be able to see everyone. It was the first competition of the NSSA season and it goes towards helping me qualify to compete in the NSSA East Coast Championships in April, something I am looking forward to already. The main goal of competing is to make it to the national level out in California, and these local competitions help me do that. All in all, it was a good way to start out the NSSA season.
The second weekend in December, the Franklin Christmas Parade went on. My family has a float in the parade and we invite our friends to join us. We throw candy and get to wave to everyone. It was cool to see everyone that came out to watch the parade on a cold day. It was really fun for everybody!
Three days before Christmas, my family went and volunteered at an inner-city children’s Christmas party. It was a great experience for all of us. We got to give toys to the kids, play with them at the party, and feed them a good meal before they went home that night. I loved being able to see all of the kids laughing, playing, and having a good time.
The third week in December is my favorite of all… Christmas. The day before Christmas Eve, my entire family went in a Party Bus to go and look at the Christmas Lights. It was really fun and cool to see everyone decorated for my favorite time of year. I loved being able to hang out with my family, look at lights, and drink hot cocoa.
My entire family went to the Christmas Eve service at our church. My favorite part was when we all had candles lit and were singing praises to the Lord, thanking him for his Son he sent for us. We all ate dinner together, played ping pong in the basement of my grandparents’ house, and each opened one present that night. Christmas day is always fun. Santa comes to my house every year, so I was excited to see what presents I got presents from him. My littlest sister, Celia Tate (8), got too many toys to count! Santa was good to us this year. My parents are very generous and gave me clothes from my two favorite brands. Afterwards, we ate breakfast, played with our new things, and then got ready for lunch. Christmas lunch is always held at my grandmother’s house. We eat turkey, dressing, vegetables, my aunt’s famous homemade biscuits, and my mom’s delicious sweet potato casserole. We opened presents later that day. I got the new Rip Curl GPS watch, new clothes, and my entire family is going on a Disney Cruise at the beginning of summer! It was the best surprise for all five of us grandkids. This Christmas was a big one for everyone this year.
The final weekend in December, my family went with some friends to the indoor waterpark in Gatlinburg. We had so much fun. We went down the waterslides, in the wave pool, and got to swim around having fun. It was nice to be able to spend time with family and friends as the year came to an end.
2014 has been a good year to me, full of memories, laughter, and lots of surfing. I have enjoyed every moment of it and I look forward to what January and the new year brings!