It’s all getting a bit festive around here. Even Dolly is getting into the holiday spirit!

I just spent the morning putting up our tree, while listening to a festive mixtape I made! (Don’t worry, I’m sharing it with you tomorrow!)

So: this is our first full-sized tree ever. Previously we’ve had teeny little ones, but when it comes to anything festive, it’s truly a case of the bigger, the better!

I absolutely love this tree. It’s 6 feet (!!!) but skinny, perfect for New York City livin’. The branches are irridescent white, & they sparkle beautifully. I decided to go simple on the decorations, & stuck to silver & disco balls, though I did have to buy a couple of feathered birds. (Our star for the top is still on its way.)

Our living room isn’t very fancy, but this tree makes it feel a little more sparkly in here…

We’re not religious, & I haven’t been to church since I left school, where compulsory chapel attendance was a part of daily life. But I love the experience of celebrating the seasons, marking time, & honouring the transitions.

My mother is a Christmas fiend, & gleefully puts up her tree sometime in November. Her tree makes me look like a total amateur (which, admittedly, I am — this is my first full-sized tree of my own!). I can only hope to aspire to her extreme Christmas enthusiasm & decorating prowess! Clearly, I need more sparkly crystal things…

Do you get into the holiday spirit? How do you decorate, what do you do to commemorate the passing of the seasons? Tell me! I’m curious!

Happy holidays,