SEASONS' GREETINGS with warm wishes from an Amreecan Village

Christmas and New Year's are definetely cumulatively, the biggest celebration in this part of the world. Everything is lit up brightly(because electricity obviously costs nothing) and there is this general cheerfulness around that makes even a cynical person such as myself smile at strangers.
This time around most people from my part of the village have not been very happy. They have been crying about the fact that it has been a warm winter and this has not been a White Christmas. I have had my managers, friends, roommates, acquaintances tell with great nostalgia and a smile hovering on their lips, as to how last year the winter was truly bad. Apparently it was the coldest winter recorded in Philly for over 20 years. I personally had a great time. I went over to Pittsburgh and West Virginia for Christmas. The giant Christmas tree and the street all lit up reminded me of Kolkata around Durga Pujo. The only thing is here most people are homebound during the festivities. They stay home, put on Christmas jammies, eat enormous amount of pies and spend it with family and friends. Back in India festivals are the time when you put on your newest outfit and take to roads for pandal hopping with family and friends. For New Years I took myself to Philadelphia. It was brilliant. Larger than life. And the fireworks from Penn's landing. I have to say that no matter how much I am still doubtful about the efficiency of this country in general, this country knows its fireworks. I have never seen anything like it ever in my life. It was spectacular. But even while shaking in my shoes at midnight and seeing everyone kiss all around me at 31st night I heard people complaining as to how warm this New Year's day is. I will be the first one to admit, I do not understand the hankering for below freezing temperature.
What I do understand now is the meaning of the age old greeting of "with warm wishes". Remember how we use to write it at the bottom of our New Year's Greetings card back in school. (I wonder if the kids still write it.) Growing up in a hot and humid city like Kolkata, I had always wondered why warm wishes. Why not with comfortable wishes? But then while waiting for my bus at the bus stop on 2nd Jan 2015, for an hour, and having cold literally penetrate my very bones, the meaning of warmth finally hit me.
So here is WARMLY wishing all 13 people(or less) who has ever read my blog, a fantastic 2015.