Thoughts on Painting

"Sweetness of the Season"

I had a different kind of Christmas this year. My family was visiting from the West Coast for Thanksgiving and we decided to have our "Christmas" celebration early, while they were here visiting. So we joined the throngs of people who get their tree the day after Thanksgiving. I've always been a buy in the middle of December and take it down a few days after New Year's kind of gal, but it was fun to start the festivities early. 

Our plan was to grab a tree at Costco (because they really do have beautiful, fresh trees and they are under $35) but sadly, Costco did not have their trees in yet. We ended up at the local tree farm, which was full of other families getting the holidays going. It was a beautiful, misty, drizzly day and there really is nothing like the smell of pine from the cuttings that the tree farm guys make right before loading it onto your car. My mom, sister, Shannon and I met the hubby and Alyssa at the farm and traipsed about looking for the perfect tree. I was a bit crabby from my plans being changed but that melted away with each step I took further back into the tree farm. Chris and Alyssa had previewed the trees and narrowed it down to 3, all equally beautiful. We decided on one and then I took my mom and sister into the gift shop to pay for the tree. Outside there was warm cider that we helped ourselves to. Then we browsed through the unique ornaments and tree waterers in the gift shop before paying what was nowhere near $35 for a tree. But the people there were so helpful, explaining the scents of the different trees (one smelled like oranges!) and straightening the trunk on the tree before tying it to our car that is was worth it. The memories and fragrances of that day will be in my memory forever.

We bought pre-made sugar cookies from the bakery at Wegmans, which is as close to homemade as one can get and exchanged gifts in person, rather than over Skype. We drank wine, ate cookies, played Christmas music, and thoroughly enjoyed each other's company. It's everything I want Christmas to be, just a little earlier than usual. I got to combine Thanksgiving and Christmas, which is how it should be, because Christmas would not be the same without the people in my life that I am most thankful for.