A couple weeks ago my sister Hannah and I went Christmas tree shopping. Our hair frizzed in the cool dry North Carolina weather and our makeup smudged. We drank hot cider and played hide and seek among the prickly trees. Christmas music played in the distance from the large white tent where the sent of hot chocolate drifted from. The smell of pine filled the air. I absolutely love looking for the perfect Christmas tree. Of course I brought my camera along and pretty soon we were distracted by taking pictures. We had so much fun.
Every year my family drives eight hours up to the smokey mountains to get our tree. Something about the atmosphere of hundreds of trees in rows covering small hills surrounded by beautiful mountains is so magical. Every once in a while snow will leave a soft white blanket draping over everything as far as the eye can see. We look for the perfect tree and then strap it onto the top of our van and drive home. It is a tradition and we love it.
Something I look forward to most is decorating the tree. All the colorful lights and the ornaments that make music when they clink against each other really make the holidays come alive. I adore sitting around the beautiful tree pulling decorations out of cardboard boxes with the sweet smell of sugar cookies filling the kitchen and a crackling fire sounding from the living room. Laugher and smiles make my heart swell. Christmas is coming upon us.