So I like Christmas. Everything about Christmas. Yes, even the commercial hustle and bustle (take that Charlie Brown).
I like Christmas decorations: the prickly pine trees, the sparkly lights, the big inflatable snow globes sitting smugly in my neighbor’s yard back home. I like Christmas food: honey ham, baked brie, really anything that my mom makes. Most especially, I like Christmas smells: vanilla spice candles adorning the fireplace, hot chocolate wafting out of a mug, or the cinnamon and nutmeg and golden flaky goodness floating above the crust of a freshly baked pie. In fact, I think Heaven is going to smell like Christmas. With a hint of Krispy Kreme glazed donuts and Very Sexy for Him by Victoria’s Secret. But mostly Christmas.
Christmas smells just bring back family memories, you know? Pine brings flashbacks of cutting down trees…or at least, trying to cut down the tree. Somehow, my dad always managed to hack down our foliage of choice for that year despite being armed with the dullest saws imaginable. The musty smell of cardboard boxes brings flashbacks of the popsicle-stick-and-glitter-glue ornaments from fourth grade. And the smell of cold air (yes cold air has a smell, you didn’t know that?) brings flashbacks of sledding down The Big Hill…even if the only snowfall that year consisted of a dusting inadequate to water the grass let alone handle the rambunctious sled races of 20 plus neighborhood hooligans.
Nice Christmas-y flashbacks, I would say. Nice reminiscence of the holiday season that seems to block out every everything else until Christmas just becomes one big glowing memory in my brain. That glowing memory has a way of oozing around my brain, in the little crevices and dripping down my neck and shoulders, making me feel warm all the way to my heart until I just want to spread Christmas Cheer by singing loud for all to hear. Then I want to watch Elf.
This Christmas Cheer is spreading around campus, if you couldn’t tell already by the garlands and tree in the Caf. The annual Christmas Tree lighting tomorrow serves to ring in the holiday season by promising hot chocolate, apple cider, and other various Christmas treats. I I plan to attend the lighting, as it was one of my favorite memories of last year, and if they have sugar cookies with red and green sprinkles and creamy frosting, I will die of happiness. My dear readers, it is a tradition you don’t want to miss, so you’d better be there.
Also, if you get a chance, take a stroll along Upper and Lower Freshman Dorm Row and gawk at the all-out decorating taking place. As a preview: when I was walking to the Caf this morning to get my daily sustenance in the form of coffee (black, no cream, no sugar, straight up boss caffeine), I noticed Miller draped in what looked to be red banners. Then I walked past Eaton and could very clearly see the beginning stages of the North Pole starting in the front lawn. I think the decorating frenzy is part of the semester-long competition between the freshman dorms, but even my sophomore friends living on Greek row decided to get in on the fun. They strung lights in their window, lights that you can see even from the tennis courts. Ah yes, deck those dorms. Everyone could use a little red banners or North Pole or colored lights in their lives right now with finals lurking around the corner like the Grinch.
Keep up the Christmas Cheer, dear friends. Don’t let the Grinch get you grumpy. If the mere stress of the season starts to degrade your spirit, grab a mug of hot chocolate and meet me at the Christmas Tree lighting tomorrow.. I can’t promise anything, but I promise you that there is something magical in the combination of glowing lights, glowing people in those lights, and a glowing feeling that automatically improves anyone’s attitude. I’m sure the hot chocolate helps of course. Then, on your way back to your dorm to write that 20-page paper or study for that cumulative physics test, admire the freshmen and their HRL staff’s efforts to transform the dorms into Winter Wonderland.
Smile, dear readers, and remember this season only lasts for a couple weeks. Smell the smells, especially the ones involving food. And ayo waves.
