Christmas concludes on a high note

As I mentioned in my last post, customs was holding the box with our Christmas gifts.  We did not receive this box in time for Christmas morning.  I had to make a choice:  explain to my daughter why she did not receive the only gift she asked Santa to bring her (and then give it to her later when it finally arrived) or buy her one so she would have a very memorable Christmas morning.  I opted for the latter and we spent Friday afternoon searching every mall nearby for a dollhouse.  We finally found a store selling one made with the same level of quality we were seeking.  Thankfully, they were running a special that bundled three rooms worth of furniture.

Christmas morning, I was up at 4 AM (insomnia) and the kids joined me around 7.  I carried our son down the stairs and set him on the ground.  The minute he was free from my grasp, he rushed over to a zebra we re-gifted him (our daughter never took to it) and bounced up and down on it like it had been his for an eternity.  Our daughter couldn't decide whether to run to her bike or play with her doll house - she opted for the bike first.

After twenty minutes admiring and marvelling over Santa's deliveries, we opened the gifts we received from family (the ones that actually made it to us).  Two hours later, we were finished.  I don't think I've ever opened that many presents in one sitting.  Usually, we are opening presents at three or four different events.  Opening them all at the same time is a bit overwhelming.  Looking out at all our Christmas bounty while living in such a poor country, really made me feel gluttonous....it didn't help that I spent a day's wages for my driver to have someone wrap my wife's presents for me.

The kids, however, loved every minute of it.

 

 

Christmas night, as we were preparing for our dinner, our long awaited box arrived.  Digging through the thirteen new gifts was like another visit from Santa.  Everything was in there - including the lotion.  It was nice to have them on Christmas Day, even though we didn't get them for Christmas morning. 

(Discussing our experience with one of our neighbors I learned that he, too, had a box containing Christmas gifts held in customs for nearly four weeks.  The shipping agency he used asked if he wanted to pay a fee to help expedite.  He refused.  They then told him customs was requiring an import tax.  He asked for the specific law detailing what he owed.  When they provided the law - in Indonesian - it indicated he owed nothing.  He personally made a visit to customs, asked to speak with a senior officer, showed him the law and asked him to explain why it was being held for additional fees.  Only then did they release it to him with no further requirements.  He mentioned a few other expats had experienced similar problems.  It appears there was a concerted effort by customs officers to either: 1) put a strain on the celebration of a Christian holiday; 2) use it for monetary gain.  And this is why business don't come to Indonesia.)

For us, it didn't matter.  We still had a great Christmas.