In a few short hours, we will leave Morocco and head north. For Christmas, we're trading couscous and tagine for brats and spaetzle, and we're excited to have the opportunity to spend the holidays with some of our favorite Germans.
In true Moroccan fashion, no big trip out of town is complete without a henna session. So last night, me and the girls gathered and covered our hands in pretty designs. This isn't my first round of henna, and it certainly won't be my last. Plus, this time, even Pete got to get in on the action a bit.
Henna application is a laborious process. First, you have to sit still while the henna artist draws designs swiftly across the tops and the palms of your hand. Then, after the henna dries a bit, someone else takes cotton and dabs an oily blend of olive oil, garlic, and lemon juice all over your hands. This is supposed to help bring out the henna's best colors, I think, plus it makes you smell like pizza (which I'm all for). After a while, the wet, semi-sticky henna is covered in cotton (this time, from cotton padding ripped right out of a diaper). Next, it's best to slip socks over your hands---- this ensures that you will look like an insane person while you comfortably sleep all night and let the henna soak into your skin.
The next morning is the hardest part. Squatting over the turkish toilet (it's easiest to clean up all the henna crumbles this way, I promise), you have to rub the dried henna off of your hands and arms. In some places, it scrubs off fairly easily. In other spots, it's sort of like pulling a sticker off of your arm--- a sticker that is caught on every single little arm hair.
But the final result is lovely and vibrant, and the henna usually lasts about 2 weeks. Check out some photos from our holiday henna party. Note the pro-Raja henna---- there's a big soccer game tomorrow!
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As Christmas approaches, I hope you are able to make time for whatever rituals help best get you into the holiday spirit. Watching It's a Wonderful Life? Chain-eating Candy Canes? Playing Sufjan's Christmas album on repeat? Gathering up the ones you love and swapping stories over cranberry nut bread? Do it, do it all, and know that we miss you.
In true Moroccan fashion, no big trip out of town is complete without a henna session. So last night, me and the girls gathered and covered our hands in pretty designs. This isn't my first round of henna, and it certainly won't be my last. Plus, this time, even Pete got to get in on the action a bit.
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| A sample of henna: circa Halloween 2013 |
Henna application is a laborious process. First, you have to sit still while the henna artist draws designs swiftly across the tops and the palms of your hand. Then, after the henna dries a bit, someone else takes cotton and dabs an oily blend of olive oil, garlic, and lemon juice all over your hands. This is supposed to help bring out the henna's best colors, I think, plus it makes you smell like pizza (which I'm all for). After a while, the wet, semi-sticky henna is covered in cotton (this time, from cotton padding ripped right out of a diaper). Next, it's best to slip socks over your hands---- this ensures that you will look like an insane person while you comfortably sleep all night and let the henna soak into your skin.
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| Sock hands! And pudding cups---- when frozen, it almost tastes like ice cream. |
The next morning is the hardest part. Squatting over the turkish toilet (it's easiest to clean up all the henna crumbles this way, I promise), you have to rub the dried henna off of your hands and arms. In some places, it scrubs off fairly easily. In other spots, it's sort of like pulling a sticker off of your arm--- a sticker that is caught on every single little arm hair.
But the final result is lovely and vibrant, and the henna usually lasts about 2 weeks. Check out some photos from our holiday henna party. Note the pro-Raja henna---- there's a big soccer game tomorrow!
.JPG)
.JPG)
As Christmas approaches, I hope you are able to make time for whatever rituals help best get you into the holiday spirit. Watching It's a Wonderful Life? Chain-eating Candy Canes? Playing Sufjan's Christmas album on repeat? Gathering up the ones you love and swapping stories over cranberry nut bread? Do it, do it all, and know that we miss you.
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