Sunday mornings start with early bakery box deliveries to a few local wholesale clients. In the summer, when the days reach triple digits, the early rise time rewards me with cool morning runs and walks, which is almost necessary in the Sacramento area.
In these final days of fall, triple digits are not a threat, but the rewards are still plentiful - dark, quiet mornings, orange sherbet skies as sunrise approaches, sounds of nature stirring amidst the fog by the river… When my alarm first sounds on these early cold mornings my immediate thoughts are to rush home and climb back under the covers. But I never do. Drawn in by the stillness of the morning, I find solace in reading books, perusing magazines, planning the day, working, or just simply being alone with coffee. The Christmas season adds a new dimension to my already delightful Sunday morning routine. It is like sprinkling cinnamon on top of your latte. You love it the way it is, but sometimes a little something extra is in order.
Working next to a sparkling Christmas tree is magical. Ornaments bought and gifted decades ago adorn my tree while memories from them swirl around the room, joyfully creating the perfect blend of nostalgia and new. Aside from tip-toeing out of your room as a kid, far too early for your tired parents who were operating in overdrive to prepare the perfect day, the opportunities to enjoy mornings in the darkness alone with a twinkling Christmas tree are rare. As fleeting as time seems to be these days, I make sure to slow down and savor all of these moments.
Each holiday season is different in our house. How the season unfolds depends on the year, how early I get started, and, life. Once the tree is up and my collection of snowmen rejoin the family, the festivities can formally begin. Having missed putting the tree up the day after Thanksgiving this year, I felt the pressure of time. It is funny how just a few days make you feel like the season is slipping away. Nonetheless, our tree is up, the decorations are out, and the holiday spirit is swaying to the sounds of Bing Crosby and Nat King Cole.
While we scaled back our holiday events this year, we have already enjoyed a concert, Celebrate Christmas by the William Jessup Choir and Orchestra, and snuck in a few of our favorite silver-screen Christmas classics in the evenings. We have penciled in ice skating (which coincidentally was our second date years ago), viewing the community Christmas trees in Old Roseville, and taking the pups for a walk to admire everyone’s lovely holiday displays.
I am thankful for all the Christmas memories created over the years and am filled with excitement as I wonder what still lies ahead. It is thrilling to think that the possibilities are truly endless.
Soon my journal will begin “As we count the days until Spring...” instead of “In the final days of fall...” So, as fun as it is to wonder about tomorrow, next year, 10 years from now, I vow to stay present and enjoy whatever this season brings.
xx
Stephanie
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