H-O-L-I-D-A-Y-S

I never expected my Christmas vacation this year to be so exciting! Actually, I only went with the whole idea to please my parents. They had suggested we spend some quality time together in Europe. Assuming the worst, I reluctantly packed my bags and hoped that I would not catch my death from hypothermia!

The highlight of my winter break was the European tour my family and I went on. We had an thrilling time traveling across Europe, seeing new sights and exploring new places. My favorite country was Lucern, Switzerland as we took a train up Riggy's mountain above the clouds. There, the scenery was just breath-taking. I felt exhilarated, gulping in the fresh mountain air and seeing vapors as I exhaled. My newfound friend, Dylan, and I made snowmen and had snowball fights. Experiencing the cool alpine environment was simply magical.

Another highlight of my trip was spending New Year's Eve in Paris at Champs Elysee. During that night, thousands of people thronging the busy square in front of the Arc De Triumpe. We waited for the fireworks, unfortunately, there was a security alert and the grand sparkles had been canceled. The crowd became aggressive and rowdy and started pushing. The SWAT team came in very smart attire to control the situation. My family and I were stuck in the jostling crowd but, luckily, we managed to find our way to a nearby subway station and departed for the hotel.

That was one year-end vacation that will live in my memories for many years to come. Even now, as I reminisce on the highlights, I can't help but feel a warm glow and the memories of my winter wonderland brings a smile to my face.