Life in the cold

O.K., I know that we're at the South Pole, where it's always white, but that doesn't mean that we have Santa and the Elves running around us all the time. In fact, we all feel pretty far removed from the holiday season being down here. We go about our daily working routines, pretty much just focused on our one night off. So, we have to do little things to get us in the spirit. The iron workers of seasons past constructed a Christmas tree that now is annually placed out at the pole. - Blocks of snow of various shapes and sizes have been placed around the pole as well, for those artists who would like to create snow sculptures. - The main prize though, is our big 2 day weekend coming up! Christmas dinner is approaching, sign up sheets are around station so we can volunteer for potato peeling, pie baking, and one of three seatings for dinner. Being on the swing and night shifts, Cori and I have first pick for 3rd seating. Crazy antics usually ensue after the last seating, consisting of spontaneous dance parties, open mics, and dodge ball. Thus making it the best of all the seatings! Everyone on station also eagerly awaits the Christmas mail plane. The National Guard usually flies in one motherload of packages on the week before, to us stranded Polies! --We don't have much, but we make the most of what we have!