It is another festive season, time to write Christmas cards.

As you put each name in the card, the memories could suddenly flash back, some of that are so tenter that you would have to halt down the regular process, get a cup of coffee and listen to some music ... allow yourself to indulging in the past ... going back to where you were and what you were up to at those moments of your life ... almost like soaking up the Sun on the beach.

The lake of Puget Sound is in Seattle, a city with its surroundings that I adore so much. Wherever you go in the city, The Mountain Rainer is always up there in the clouds, with its top covered by snow.

And in there, I received my first hug from an American lady, her name is Gina.

The first stop of my journey in the US was Seattle, a brief visit. A large office flat, full of sunlights, here were the employees and the boss of a tele-comunication company, Mike, Gina's husband.

While a young man Dave were chatting with me about his new girlfriend coming from Taiwan, Gina came in the office greeting with everybody. She was tall and elegant with very short light blond hair, wearing makeups and dressed quite beautifully. And she stopped at me and Dave, "Hi, who is this pretty girl?" she asked Dave, and then turned to me, "call me Gina." I blushed and quickly stood up saying "Hi, my name is Anne", and that was all I could came up with at that moment, since she was the first white lady I ever formerly met face to face, so closely standing right in front of me, with her beautiful eyes looking at me and smiling ... apparently, I was nervous, lost for words.

Then Gina asked me, "Come here, Anne, let me give you a hug." she opened up her arms ... but I did not move forward. she must have had spotted my confusion and turned to Dave, "Dave, come over here, let's show Anne how to hug." Then Dave did hug her ...slowly. Then Gina said, "see, very simple. let's try it, Anne."

And She hugged me. It was a good hug, Even it was too quick. I felt the hug so comforting, warm and real. Yes, you feel that people are so REAL when you hug someone, that is a hug all about. These things are truly delightful.

About 10 years ago, I came to the US with about 800 dollars. And I must have had made Gina feel so sorry for me with whatever of me in her eyes and her heart. She asked if she could take me for shopping the next day, I said yes.

She drove a black large SUV to pick me up. And we were strolled along a highway for a quite while and then stepped in a shopping mall outside of Seattle.

And in that mall, I had my first cup of cappuccino at Starbucks. Gina wanted to buy me nice shoes, I asked if she could just buy my son Nike shoes instead, she agreed and bought a pair of black Nike shoes for my son, that were mailed back to China by me later on.

And she took me to one counter of the cosmetics sections and asked the lady there to give me makeover. After it, Gina handed me a bag and said, " it is all for you.", I took the bag over and looked the receipt inside and found the number that made me dizzy, "No, No, Gina, that is too expensive, I could not accepted these.". Gina laughed, "No worries, Anne, I want to put a smile on your face, you deserve it."

Actually, I was impressed by the brand name a month later in school. When my roommate saw those boxes in my bathroom and asked how I could afford Lancome. I kept those boxes for so many years with me drifting around on this piece of land and never used any of them since then. Whenever I buy cosmetic products after I could afford, Lancome has been always the only choice for me.

I was eager to show my appreciation too that day. In the Children section, I was attracted to a pair of yellow ducks, and decided to buy them for Gina's twin little girls. The price was 30 dollars, and Gina said I should just keep my money, but I insisted to buy them, and Gina agreed.

That late afternoon, Gina and me stopped by her house, she was tired and had a nap in her bedroom, I was sitting in a rock chair in front of the lake of Puget Sound and was being surrounded by her more than 20 catties ... and that was when I took that picture of her house.

For so many years, I never talked to Gina on phone, but I always sent her Christmas card and told her that she did not need to mail me one since I was not be able to settle down anywhere. Probably, I constantly felt that she had given me so much that I would never be able to do something for return.

And no exception, for this Christmas, I am writing her and her family another Christmas card.

We all are expecting a peaceful white Christmas. I am not sure if there will be snow on the ground this winter in Seattle, but on the top of Mountain Rainer, the priest white snow blanket that I have ever seen so far is all year around.

Merry Christmas, everybody.

Michael Buble - White Christmas

White Christmas

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas
Just like the ones I used to know
Where the tree tops glisten
And children listen
To hear sleigh bells in the snow

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas
With every Christmas card I write
May your days be merry and bright
And may all your Christmases be white

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas
just like the ones I used to know
Where the tree tops glisten
And children listen
To hear sleigh bells in the snow

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas
With every Christmas card I write
May your days be merry and bright
And may all your Christmases
May all your Christmases
May all your Christmases
May all your Christmases be white

I'm dreaming of a white
Christmas with you
Jingle Bells all the way, all the way