‘Tis the Season

Christmas has always been and always will be my favorite holiday of the year. It is a time for family to come together and celebrate each other.

It has taken on a new meaning since we’ve had Harlan. We’ve started traditions as a new family which are ones that I hope that our children will only pass onto theirs later in life.

This year marks the third year we’ve experienced Christmas time in New York City. There really is no other city like it around this time of year. The city is lit up with beautiful lights in the windows, the Christmas tree in Rockefeller Center is astonishing in person, and the hustle and bustle of tourists on the streets only gets more intense as the holiday season gets underway.

One of our favorite traditions to do during this time of year is to visit Santa at Macy’s Herald Square. We’ve been going since Harlan’s first Christmas, but this is the very first year that she can understand who St. Nick really is and what he does.

She isn’t that fond for the old man, but did want to make sure that he knew that she wanted Cinderella under her tree on Christmas morning.

It wasn’t until we made it to see Santa that she began to freak out. Although she wouldn’t take her hands away from her ears {something she does every time she is scared,} she did manage to get out that she wanted her Cinderella.

With the new baby arriving in a couple of months, MacKay and I have decided this will probably be one of the last holidays that we travel to visit family. With two children and two dogs, traveling on an airplane just isn’t practical for us and the drive to see our families is a bit long.

Harlan and I went down to Florida to visit my family a week before MacKay got here and Harlan got to experience one of my family’s traditions of visiting Downtown Disney during Christmas time. We’ve been doing this ever since I can remember, but haven’t had a chance to go in recent years. I was so excited for her to take part and I knew she would love getting a chance to see all of the princesses and Mickey and Minnie.

Christmas Eve and Christmas morning were magical in itself. Harlan couldn’t wait to put cookies and milk out for Santa and carrots for the reindeer.

She woke up the next morning more excited than ever to open her presents and see what Santa left her under the tree {although very upset her dear friend Alfie, our Elf on the Shelf, had gone away to be with Santa for the year.}

We were very lucky to have all of my family in Florida to celebrate the holidays and spend time with one another. The weather in Florida was absolutely beautiful and a much welcomed break from the colder weather we’ve been having in NYC.

As our holidays come to an end and we make our long trip back to NYC at the end of the week, I can only be thankful for this wonderful time I have spent with my family during the most joyous time of year. Because that is truly what Christmas is all about, spending time with the ones you love and the ones who love you too.