I LOVE Christmas!!! October through December are my favorite months of the year. It’s like a build-up of holidays that lead to this beautiful winter wonderland and the celebration of Jesus’ miraculous birth! In Maryland, it gets cold, but unfortunately, it doesn’t always snow. The town near me looks like it’s right out of a Hallmark romance—especially when I’m walking down the street hand in hand with the guy I love, or sitting in our local coffee shop sipping a hot chai latte. Of course, when I get out of the cold, I love to come home and make hot chocolate with lots of marshmallows.
Hot chocolate seems to be a theme for all three of us at BSF. In fact, at our virtual Christmas party, we plan to make hot chocolate while we celebrate. I also share Abbi’s love of Gilmore Girls —in fact, I’m watching the first season as I type this. Am I the only one who still likes ice cream when it’s cold outside? For me, ice cream is acceptable in any season, and I’m not giving up my vanilla bean just because it’s winter!
Winter also has great clothes. Right now, I’m wearing very fuzzy pants and slippers, but I also love winter dresses, flannel pajamas, sweaters, sweatshirts, leggings, coats, and scarves.
I really love winter decorations too. Snowflakes, snowmen, Christmas trees, bells—I love it all! Winter has the best food as well: cookies cut into fun Christmas and winter shapes, candy canes, and all kinds of soups. My grandma makes really good soup, and she always makes peanut butter fudge in the winter. It’s my favorite!
My birthday is on Christmas Eve, which makes me love December even more. I know what you’re thinking—no, I don’t feel cheated by having a Christmas birthday. I still get birthday presents, and I’ve had the coolest parties over the years. Twice, I had swimming parties in an indoor pool while it was snowing outside. When I turned 17, I planned a fundraiser birthday party, like a benefit concert, to gather donations for a women’s shelter. We took a truckload of supplies to the shelter, and I even got to meet some of the women. It was amazing!
Last year, I had a birthday party at the art studio where I do ceramics. We all made clay ornaments and painted them—it was another one of my favorite parties! I planned that one myself too. Next weekend, I’m having my 27th birthday party at a friend’s house. We’ll bake cookies, drink hot chocolate, and then later go to our town’s winter extravaganza. Over the last few years, my birthday parties have become an extension of my personality and a way to bring people together. I really love winter!
No matter what you like to do during this season or what kind of weather you have, I hope you have a great winter.
Katelyn