Wednesday at home

{enjoying my favorite dinner - cheese, crackers, apple and a glass of red wine}

December is here, but it sure doesn't feel like it.  Unlike probably everyone else in the world (or at least in this city), I WANT the snow to arrive.  I crave the first snowfall of the winter season in the same way a child looks forward to Christmas morning - when those flakes begin to blow in the grey winter sky and even more so when they pile up quietly on the grass and sidewalks outside, I can usually be found bouncing up and down on the couch in my living room, eyes wide with happiness, dreaming of steamy mugs of cocoa and burrowing deep under blankets while my favorite Christmas movies light up the television screen.

But alas, it is not snowing, and not likely to snow for weeks.  It just doesn't feel like the holiday season without the snow.  I need my winter wonderland!  How do you feel about snow?  Are the holidays the same without it?  Is the shoveling and cold enough to negate any potential wintery magic for you?

Snow day!

Hot chocolate for breakfast, cleaning, gift wrapping, a little decorating, Christmas music, and maybe I'll even read a book today!

Glitter Day

I don't know about you, but for me, the post-holiday lull is always a little bit of a bummer. Still, I'm always caught off-guard by this lonely bit of boredom. Every year, every big holiday break, I get myself thinking that all I want is some time to relax and just do nothing, but I think I've finally realized that what's most enjoyable is doing nothing with everyone else. Sitting around, eating delicious foods, drinking tasty wine, and just chatting or sitting on the couch. Now that I've figured this out, I'm looking forward to more of that this Christmastime. Now, to complete the pre-Christmas to do list before the actual break rolls around... The countdown begins.

Christmastime in the City...

Yesterday we made our annual trek to the city.  It included all the usual stops - Macy's (to see the windows, decor, and to pick up an ornament), the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree (of COURSE), a yummy trip to Chipotle (we switched things up this year and went for lunch with my lovely Best Gal Jess), and some shopping at Anthropologie. 

Macy's at Christmastime

 

'Miracle on 34th Street' themed window displays at Macy's

The tree!

We went to the NBC Experience store, too.  I'm newly obsessed with the Today Show, especially Al Roker, so I wanted to look for goodies, but we were very quickly distracted by the 'Office' memorabilia, and so I totally forgot to look for Today Show stuff!  Anthony bought me an "I <3 Jim" t-shirt.  It's awesome.  I put it on over my turtleneck on the train ride home.   

It was a little bittersweet, knowing that we probably won't be visiting NYC again next December, but I know we'll be finding new traditions and probably visiting a city tree wherever we are.  Someday I want to ice skate again around the holidays!  I can't even remember the last time I went, and I'm pretty sure I'll be awful at it the next time I try, but nonetheless...

Did I tell you that I watched Prancer on TV on Friday?  It was just like the old days.

Christmas Classics

Tonight I'm hanging out at home on the couch and trying to catch up with life.  'Santa Claus is Coming to Town' is on, and believe it or not, I've never actually seen it.  How is this possible?  The story of Santa's life complete with stop motion animation and narration by Fred Astaire?  Sounds like my ideal holiday film.

We've only just begun to break into our holiday movie collection this season.  I have a few classics, old and new, that I do my best to watch every year.  They help to get me in the holiday spirit. 

1.  The Year Without a Santa Claus.  I don't own it, but it's on TV every year without fail.  Just like Rudolph and Santa Claus is Comin' to Town, it's a lovely display of stop motion animation. 

2. Elf.  Hilarious!  And Buddy the Elf has quite the flair for decorating.

3.  It's a Wonderful Life.  I don't even think this one needs to be explained.  I remember seeing the gym floor/swimming pool scene on TV as a kid before I even knew what this movie was.  I think that's still my favorite scene.

4.  Love Actually.  Definitely a new classic.  Music, overlapping relationships, laughing and crying.  It has everything.

Let me tell you, this list is surely not complete.  Charlie Brown, of course, always finds his way into the mix.  And I do love to watch Meet Me In St. Louis, though it's technically not a holiday movie.  And OF COURSE, White Christmas, which really should be at the top of the list.  I think if there's any one movie that I make sure to watch every year, it's White Christmas.  Even if I'm waiting on a snowfall in my own part of the world, it never fails to make me feel Christmasy :)

Are there any movies you find yourself returning to each holiday season?

December notes: picking out the tree

Someday we'll go all out and cut down our own tree, but for now, the outdoor expedition of purchasing one from our local grocery/nursery/coffee/gourmet/everything store will have to suffice.  This year there was even a little outdoor fire to warm your hands!  My only qualification this time around was that the tree be fragrant and fill our apartment with that piney holiday scent.

The first one was the best one.  Sheared balsam.  Smells scruptious.

Home and fully decorated.  I went with a woodland theme again this year, there's even a little gnome in the mantle decor :)  My favorite tree ornament this season is below.

December notes: craftyness

December has officially arrived, and even though the snow isn't here yet - which I am getting pretty impatient about - it's becoming more and more visible everywhere else you look.  Of course, with December comes prime crafty season, and just as much as I love making decorations and handmade gifts myself, I love to see what everyone else out there comes up with.  This lovely blogosphere is the perfect place to start.  Here's a short list of my favorites from around the blog world tonight:

Teensy terrariums, which are actually ornaments, via Cup of Jo (via Unruly Things).  Terrariums are all the rage these days, I tell you.

Gold leaf placecards.  These are technically a Thanksgiving craft, but I enjoy them nonetheless.  Via A Field Journal.

Cheerful printable gift tags over at Creature Comforts (one of my daily must-reads).  I love a good gifttag...thinking of trying these out with my 2-inch scalloped circle punch.

AND I saw this Jen Corace calendar on Design*Sponge today!  In case you don't recognize her artwork, she's the illustrator of Little Pea, Little Hoot and Little Oink, among many other wonderful books and publications.  I love her work, and I love that this calendar has a peek at some different mediums - a little pencil and some lighter watercolor, too. See more here.