Turn, Turn, Turn

I cannot BELIEVE that it is December!!  Time is just flying by these days...  It seams like people dread the coming of winter, or maybe people just love the camaraderie of complaining, but it is one of my favorite times of year.  I could never imagine living in a place that didn't have 4 separate seasons.  Is there anything better than that first Spring day that you can ditch your coat and rock that sundress (with an accessory of goose bumps, cause let's be honest...it's not QUITE warm enough for that yet.)?  Or the first middle of the day margarita with your friends in the summer?  Or how about that week that the city smells less like hot garbage and suddenly there is a crispness, a new-ness in the Autumn air?  Or, come one, that first beautiful snow!  That is my favorite.  There is nothing quite as magical as that, I don't care how much you "bah humbug" me...

Last year, I spent my fall and most of my winter doing a show down in Florida, wearing shorts and chilling on the beach.  Poor me.  And while I wasn't sad to miss the ensuing "Polar Vortex" that was to come, I did REALLY miss the wonderful transition from Summer to Fall to Winter.  I love the time from Thanksgiving to Christmas...  Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays.  It encompasses so many of my favorite things...Baking, entertaining, day drinking, eating copious amounts of food, friends/family, football, and falling asleep by 9pm.  BOOM.  And everyone knows that the day after Thanksgiving is the day that the Christmas season really starts!  Growing up, my family always went to Sinnissippi Christmas Tree Farm the weekend after TGives to cut down a tree and I have such fond memories of that.  Apple cider and doughnuts, clomping around in the mud, pushing each other into trees, being all bundled up, finding the PERFECT tree...  And that's also the weekend that it becomes acceptable to break out the Christmas tunes and unpack all of the ornaments and decorations.  It's beautiful, it's fresh, it's sparkling, and somehow just the right amount of all the bittersweet feelings (Bittersweet? Listen to "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" -  the Judy Garland, Meet Me in St Louis version.  I rest my case!)

Despite no one smiling, we all really had a great time. I swear.
Everyone was just really focused on eating.  

Last year, I got none of it!  It's just not the same in Florida when you go to a restaurant for Thanksgiving, buy a mini-tree from Wal-Mart and spend Christmas on the beach eating Chinese Food.  This year, all of my Rabid Martha Stewart Apartment Decorating had to be put on hold yet again, what with being on tour and all.   However, I did get to go home to New York this Thanksgiving which was just as great.  For the past few years, my friend Kris has been having us over for the BEST FriendsGiving and it's always amazing.  Smoked Turkeys, way too much food, so many laughs...its awesome.  And this year may have been the best yet!  Plus, Sarah, Vinny, Ashley, Ashley's Mom Mary, and I all headed up to Connecticut to cut down trees again.  This is the second time that we have been to Jones Family Farm and I can't recommend it enough.  They have SOOO many trees and it's super festive with gorgeous views, a Holiday Market, Wine Tasting and an outdoor bonfire.  Apparently, they also do pumpkin and berry picking the rest of the year...I'll have to get on that.  And then of course, we have the traditional trip to Olive Garden afterwards (no judgement.  Have you had the breadsticks lately??).  Lindsey was more of an "indoor girl" this year and she and Amber got their tree from the street corner so as not to have to commune with nature quite so much.  And they were nice to enough to let me help to decorate it with them while sipping some champs and watching White Christmas....Wonderful.  I was so happy to get my holiday groove on during my Thanksgiving layoff.  PLUS, I asked my parents to wait to decorate their tree til I got home for my Christmas Layoff.  My THREE WEEK Christmas Layoff! (Odd mixture of "yikes!" and "yay!") My mom was happy to oblige and she is super excited to have a helper for Christmas cookies again finally... Yeah, I have a feeling that I'm totally gonna get my fill of Christmas cheer this year!

When January and February roll around, you may have to remind me that I said I loved winter.  But this year has been so amazing and the good news and exciting surprises that keep rolling make me think that it's gonna take a lot more than some snow and chilly temps to wipe this smile off of my face!  (That's not a dare, Mother Nature!!)

-e