Midnight Musings

It's my favorite month of the year, right between Thanksgiving and Christmas. The whole season makes me giddy. I've been aching to put up Christmas decorations for about a month now. I know it's silly to have them out while the air-conditioning is still on, but I love the wonder and enchantment that comes with the season.

Here it is, just after midnight, and I'm sitting by our newly-erected Christmas tree. It's not complete...just the lights and ribbon are on. Joy and I are too nervous to put the ornaments on with the dog (he's been all puppy recently) and thought we'd see what he does with a plain tree for a few days before temping him with all sorts of colors and smells. But other decorations are out, and the enchantment has begun.

But as I sit here, I'm thinking everything at this moment is just what it should be. There is a nip in the air, but it's toasty inside. There are candles scattered about our apartment, and I am sitting next to those always-enticing white lights on the tree. Is there anyone else who can just look at a tree for hours, trying to soak in each moment? Maybe that's what I love about this season. In the business and chaos, it always seems to slow me down, especially on evenings like this. I've done some present-wrapping and reading and am listening to my new CD that will surely have a blog of its own soon. The dog is curled up nearby and Joy is asleep on the sofa across from me. Of course, she's wearing her candy-cane pajamas and is just as cute as cute can be. I'm sipping on a nice Chilean Cabernet while I enjoy some brie and tangerine and I wonder why there can't be a "Pause" button for this moment. I find myself not wanting to go to bed knowing that as morning comes, so has the moment been lost to memory.

I hope you join with me in the enchantment this month. It's a time of reflection and revelry, insanity and intimacy, panic and peace.