I can probably easily list you a dozen things that I really hate about the Christmas season starting from the overcrowded shopping malls, bars and pubs to the total blatant and extreme commercialism that this holiday has been turned in to.

So without bothering to give you a boring "laundry list" of things I hate about the season, let me tell you it is also one of my favourite times of year as well.

Even with all the many things that I despise about the Christmas season, there are certain things that really make it all worth while. Just simple little things like getting together with friends and family, having a few days off to rest and recharge, being able to give those you care about a gift which is really just a way of telling them that they are important in your life.

For me all those reasons are important and why I really enjoy Christmas time, but one of the things I really enjoy the most is my buddy Kevin and his wife Samantha's Annual Xmas Party.

Every year for the past five years they invite all their friends and neighbours over to their home to have a huge "Open House" with tons of food, entertainment and of course, a great deal of Xmas cheer (aka booze!).

The event usually runs about a day and a half as it starts around noon on Saturday and being that most of us are way too impaired to drive that evening, we all find a comfortable spot in the house and sleep over till Sunday when we indulge in a very large breakfast feast.

I usually gain a good five pounds over this weekend, being that they spare no expense in putting on this huge party. As the party has gotten so popular over the past couple of years, the cooking usually starts Friday evening and from what I have observed, never ends. Now that's a party I enjoy.

Kevin also has all the toys in his basement that make up a good party. A big screen TV, a pool table, a Foosball table, Xbox and of course, a fully stocked bar!

This year was going to be extra special as the girl I have been dating over the past couple of months, Rhonda, who is the head Chef at a popular local restaurant and an extremely good cook, is involved. She is also Samantha's cousin, so Rhonda insisted that she be allowed to bring a few trays of appetizers and desserts in order to help out.

I had become very fond and attached to Rhonda over the past few weeks. The more I've gotten to know her, the more I like about her. She is a very beautiful and intelligent girl with an extremely keen sense of humour. I like those qualities and combined with her drive to get ahead n life, makes me very thankful we are together. She is definitely one of a kind.

Rhonda asked me to pick her up around ten in the morning on Saturday, as she had prepared almost everything and needed me to help transport the trays over to Kevin's place.

When I arrived at her apartment, Rhonda was all excited and jumping around. She is a very vocal and outgoing girl, however this morning she was even more animated than her usual self.

"I finally got it", she exclaimed wildly. "After a year and a half of waiting, I finally got it". She was smiling broadly and dancing around the kitchen.

I watched her bounce around her little apartment for a couple of minutes without interrupting her until she finally tired herself out and calmed down a little bit, which gave me the opportunity to inquire as to what had put her in such a fantastic mood.

"My application has finally been accepted to the finest culinary school in New York", she responded excitedly. They only accept a few students each year and I have been on the waiting list a year and a half"

Rhonda began jumping around again and hugged me tightly. This was definitely a great time for her.

We had frequently discussed her aspirations to continue her education in cooking and it was something she had always wanted to do, from the tome she was a little girl. Although she is currently a certified head chef, Rhonda had hoped to one day take her skills further and specialize in French cooking and fine cuisine and open a small restaurant. This was the next planned step in her master plan.

I was very happy for her and told her so. She not only deserved this break, she had definitely paid her dues and earned it.

We did not have a lot of time to discuss it further as we needed to both load up her car and my car with all the food for the party. As we were doing this, Rhonda continued to tell me more about the school, the two year course, the housing where the out of town students can live and all the details surrounding this very exciting event.

As she was getting into her car, she unloaded the bombshell.

"The semester starts the first week of February, so I will have to hurry and get packing, it is only 6 weeks away", she exclaimed before driving off.

The news hit me hard. Six weeks, only 6 weeks before she leaves for two years. This is crazy, we are just beginning to gel as a couple. I always knew she was trying to get into a world class culinary school so this news should really come as no surprise. It was just that when we discussed it, she made it sound that the waiting list was years, decades even. (Okay, perhaps I just wanted to believe that last bit). But it was always away off in the future, distant future and not one that is fast approaching in 6 weeks.

As I drove towards Kevin's house, I realized more and more that I hated the fact that Rhonda was leaving. I had become way too fond of the girl and now after letting myself get attached to her, she is leaving for two damn years. And what's more I can't even tell her that I don't want her to go since I know this is her life's dream and it would make me look like a stupid petty and selfish   !@!@&^*@ .

And that part would definitely be true if I was the type of person to vocalize that thought. No, as difficult as it is going to be for me I must show only encouragement and support. That's the very least I can do, but it sure isn't going to be easy.

I arrived at Kevin's place and there were already quite a few people milling around the house with drinks in their hands and plates of food. This was going to be good, it was not even noon and the party was already well underway.

I figured I would keep my mind off the terrible news by indulging in a Guinness and joining John and Damian downstairs for a friendly game of pool. The upstairs of the house was already way too crowded and the cooking was still going on in full swing. Not wanting to get in the way (or be roped into doing some stupid task for fear I would fall behind in drinks) I reckoned the best place for me was downstairs and out of the way with a number of the other guys, listening to tunes and relaxing.

A couple of enjoyable hours passed when I heard Rhonda calling me to come upstairs for a moment. Apparently she was off to work for a few hours being that there were a number of Christmas functions going on, however she would return afterwards around 9 PM to enjoy all the festivities.

Kevin and Samantha had hired a Santa Claus and one elf to liven the party up and also take photographs of their guests.

The Santa appeared to be some rather mangy looking scoundrel with a shabby half beard and a dishevelled costume. As I got closer to him, it was quite evident that this "old rummy" had been indulging already as he reeked of booze and even his "Ho Ho Ho's" sounded quite slurred.

His assistant, presumably his obese wife starring in the supporting role of Elf #1, was in charge of snapping the photographs as we all had our turn posing with the grubby Santa.

Santa also had a tin of Guinness in his right hand and I began to eye him suspiciously wondering if that was his own or he had made a early little Xmas gift of my Guinness to himself.

Before I could discover the truth, Rhonda grabbed me and insisted that we both get photographed with Santa.

Fat Elf#1 took the picture and a couple minutes later presented us with the photograph. I looked really angry, Santa looked really drunk and Rhonda simply looked beautiful.

"Our first Christmas picture together", Rhonda announced as she looked at the photo. She then handed it back to me and asked that I hold on to it for her until she came back to the party after work. With that she gave me a quick kiss and took off.

I put the photograph in my shirt pocket and wandered around for the next couple of hours eating, drinking and socializing.

Around 6 PM, Samantha's neighbours from next door arrived, Anezka and Rayna, the two gorgeous blonde sisters from Czechoslovakia. They were both wearing Xmas dresses of red and white and when they walked in the living room, all eyes were upon them.

I met the sisters a couple Christmases ago at this same annual party and every year they make an appearance and they are always the highlight for most of us guys in attendance.

I am not sure what the two sisters do for a living, but with their gorgeous figures, long blonde hair and very short outfits, they could both easily be professional models, if this was their choosing. The minute they arrive, they always get the full attention of all the males and tonight was no exception.

Most people were beginning to gravitate down to the basement where all the entertainment and festivities were going on. Samantha and Rhonda's younger sister Jackie were still preparing more food in the kitchen and obviously didn't notice me standing just outside the door as I accidentally overheard their conversation.

"Rhonda must be pretty excited about getting accepted into the school, it's been a long time", Samantha remarked.

"I am so happy for her, she really deserves it", Jackie responded. "Once she completes her two years of study I am sure she will be offered a fantastic job in some fancy high class restaurant or hotel in New York or Paris or some other big city. She will be able to pick and choose where she wants to work and live, anywhere in the world. You can bet she won't be coming back to this little city and working for meagre wages. She has way too much talent and drive for that."

I felt a little guilty eavesdropping like that, so I quickly moved away from the door and back into the living room. I had already heard more than I wanted to.

It was bad enough Rhonda was going to be attending school for two years all that distance away, but now hearing her sister Jackie's opinion on things made the situation for Rhonda and me look even bleaker than I had imagined.

I mean if anyone knew Rhonda really well, it was her sister Jackie. Also, it obviously makes sense that someone with a great deal of drive, talent and ambition would want to make the best of themselves by taking a world class job in some major city. No, it was most likely true, Rhonda would not be moving back here after her courses.

I sat down in the living room for awhile feeling even more crestfallen. I am not sure how long I had been sitting there alone beside the flashing Christmas tree, when Samantha came over to me and sat down.

"Are you feeling okay tonight"?, she inquired looking at me closely.

Trying not to let on how downhearted I was feeling, I put on a brave face and told her that I was just getting my "second wind before indulging myself in round two."

"Are you sure"? Samantha asked, "Because everyone downstairs was asking where you had gone. Even the sisters, Anezka and Rayna was asking about you. They say you were not hitting on them at all tonight or even making any of your traditional off-colour lewd remarks. They seem to miss that"

I attempted a weak smile and assured Samantha that everything was okay. "I'll join you guys in a few minutes", I advised.

With that Samantha grabbed herself a fresh drink and headed downstairs to attend to her guests.

I resolved myself to at least attempt to have a good time tonight and was just getting ready to go downstairs when the beautiful Anezka came up from the basement and came over to where I was sitting.

"You are not feeling good"?, she inquired in her slight accent.

"No, not especially", I advised truthfully.

"You look very unhappy this evening", Anezka remarked. "Not like your usual self always laughing and happy. No, you look like someone who has just lost one of their best friends"

I looked down when she said that and noticed the photograph taken of Rhonda and me was in my left hand. I must have been looking at it earlier without even noticing I had taken it from my pocket.

"You know those words might be quite true". I replied quietly, more to myself than to her. "I believe I just may have."