Decking the Halls

last friday marked the unofficial beginning of the most wonderful time of the year. even though i can't help but notice the sneaky decorations that have already begun to pop up, such as the tree lights lining the corner of 19th and broadway, i've been trying to mentally hold off fully embracing the holiday season until thanksgiving gets its proper due. in my opinion, a holiday dedicated entirely to food and wine deserves at least its 24 hours of glory. but since i'm on a rather tight schedule, only being home for five days before i return for the main event, my family and i are forced to turn into little elves while our truffle mashed potatoes is still digesting.

perhaps my favorite tradition is actually acquiring my family tree. while, there is a certain romanticism to buying a $60 two and a half foot tree from the corner bodega (and lugging it up the four extra flights, this year, should add a whole new level of fun), selecting the tree that will illuminate my parents bay window is always particularly special to me. since i was little, my father would bundle me up in my down jacket, ply me with hot chocolate as thick as melted candy bars, turn on nat king cole, and drive me out to a christmas tree farm. i can still smell the leather in the quaint (read: tiny) equestrian store we always made a point to stop into, on the way home. and while the routine has shifted slightly, we now need far less layers thanks to global warming, it is still one of the top five highlights of the season for me.

so now that i have decked the halls of my parents house and prepared them for my impending return, in a few short weeks, i'm turning my focus to my personal abode. since it's my first year in my new space and i have carte blanche to decorate as i see fit, i intend to turn my apartment into a norman rockwell painting.

i'm a traditionalist when it comes to decor, holiday or otherwise, so i'm envisioning garlands of eucalyptus leaves, boxwood wreaths tied with red velvet ribbons, buffalo check tree skirts, orange pomanders, and the most luxurious cashmere throws.

so for the foreseeable future, i plan to sit here with visions of sugar plums dancing in my head, burning my favorite diptyque candle, singing along to michael buble, waiting for the first flakes of snow to fall. check back soon for my wishlists and gift ideas.