5 Days till Christmas

When it's 5 days and counting till Christmas, it's time to start wrapping up (no pun intended) the loose ends.

This morning I headed down the hill to print the final copies of our Christmas card.

It is of course impossible to find Christmas cards here in 99% Muslim Turkey. So Chris and I (ever eager to create something new) decided to make our own Christmas cards.

We took Photoshop to a whole new level. We crafted the greatest Christmas card Turkey has ever seen. This Christmas card could walk on water.

I took the mock-up down to our local version of Kinko's and proceeded to try to explain what I wanted done.

The employees spoke no English, and I very, very little Turkish. As I was sitting watching this man do everything but what I wanted him to do, I started wondering "how can I ever paint a picture of what this feels like so that the people at home can empathize."

Try this:

Put some duck-tape over your mouth so that you can't speak.

Put ear plugs in your ears so you can't hear.

Now, take an 8x11 picture of the most obscure thing you can get ahold of, take that to Kinko's, and without speaking, or hearing a thing, try to get 50 copies double-sided on 5x7 cardstock paper.

Alternatively, walk into a chinese restaurant and insist that they give you a bologna sandwich.

Do not leave without one.

It better not be a silent night when you get our holiday card. We want to hear "holla!" and "hallelujah's" from households all across the world.

After an hour of pantomime and nervous laughter, I left the store with cards in hand.

I skipped home and then Chris and I took off for more last-minute errands.

The first thing we encountered once we stepped off the bus was this full-size, animatronic Santa Clause. Which is amusing enough. Then, a totally random Turkish man unexpectedly took our video directly to the next level.

And of course, all the loose ends are still not tied up neat in a bow.  

But they will be by Tuesday.

Or they won't be, but who cares?  We'll be airborne and headed for the best part of the holiday...seeing family and friends.

Let me know how your deaf and mute trip to Kinko's goes.