Christmastime in The City

I'm usually one of the many people that cringe at the sound/sight of Christmas-things forced upon us too soon in the season, but for some reason this year, it's like medicine for my soul. I've spent the past two weekends at home, to decompress after (and during) a hectic season at work, and of course, for Thanksgiving. It was wonderful to be home on Long Island, vegging out on the couch, relaxing & spending time with everyone I love - the stresses of work and money far away in The City. I guess I'll always be a kid at heart, reveling in a tiny escape at home where I can put the reality of adulthood on pause.



Yesterday, my kid at heart was in full bloom, harnessing the giddy feeling that Christmas is only a few weeks away. A crisp winter chill was in the air, and as my mom drove us to my apartment, I marveled at the Christmas trees stacked on street corners, waiting to be tugged home by anxious families. And while I do think it is a little early to put up a tree just yet, that image of "holiday" lent a sense of my home back home, to my new home uptown. This will be my first Christmas in my own apartment and I'm excited to get a tree and decorate, however modestly it will be. One of the things I loved most about Christmas was lounging in my living room with the lamps dimmed and the glow of our Christmas tree giving off a soothing warm hue. My goal is to recreate that feeling as best I can, with a small manageable tree and a few decorations.

It sounds so cliche, but once you get passed the fact of being out in the bitter cold without the warm escape of cars and malls, there is something magical about being in the city around Christmas. It's hard to put into words, but it truly reinforces why I love living in The City. I'm looking forward to walking around, wrapped in scarf, hat and gloves, to take in the holiday decorations in store windows, while grabbing a coffee or hot chocolate on the way. The crowds are inevitable, but if you choose your part of town wisely, you can embrace the holiday season without getting jaded by disgruntled pedestrians.



The tree in Rockefeller Center will go up next week and with that, the official stamp of the holiday season is sealed. In a week or two, I'll be one of those anxious New Yorkers, buying a tree on the street in signature New York fashion. My sister is bringing me ornaments from home to decorate my tree with. I know that will add just the right amount of "Christmas in the Campbell household" to my little living room. December is only a few days away, and with that the magical childhood wonder of Christmas is close behind.

Stay tuned, as I will definitely be posting pictures of my holiday decorations!