We are getting in the spirit at the Heinz household. Even Daddy is making festive promises of making gingerbread men and driving through the neighborhood to look at Christmas lights with hot cups of cocoa. My MIL bought us some dutch cocoa and I am just about all the way through it, enjoying a cup during every nap. I don't even like marshmallows really, but I have them and they go in--just for the sake of being festive! No office party to attend, as I am an office of one, but have arranged an ornament exchange with good friends as a perfect substitute. Jingle Bells is our number one diaper changing song at the moment. We watch the sexist* but fantastic Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer fuzz-mation Christmas story nearly every morning while folding clothes, playing and drinking warm drinks. The house smells like tree, and tree scented candle, and tree cuttings. We've made mulled wine with cinnamon sticks, cloves, and citrus, which, if you can believe it, smells even better than tree and reminds me of my days as a foreign student in France and Belgium--mulled wine stands at the little snowy Christmas markets. Daddy makes a little hot toddy in the evening and watches his baby girl play with a snowman doll and holiday books. Oh if only the whole year had so much coziness! I think this is why I love living the NW where we have seasons. By February, we will be ready to be rid of the cold and snow and push our way into sunlight like a little nest of crocuses. By April, we will be dreaming of warm weather, fresh fruit, and the smell of sunscreen on our babies' faces. In the dead heat of July, we will be thinking of cooler times to come with harvest colors in our place settings. And by that lovely fall harvest, we will be dreaming again of a white Christmas. Each season gives us something to look forward to. Each season is festive in its own right with beautiful colors, smells and tastes to enjoy and share with our children. I can already tell I am going to be one sentimental old lady.
*Mrs. Donner wanted to join him naturally, but Donner said NO this is MAN'S work.
