Sunday, December 12, 2010

The Smells of Christmas

I've been home for a few weeks now and have, I think, settled back into my rhythm and routine of life. Regular work days, this means up early, breakfast, walk the dog, shower & get ready for work. Work. Home, change, dinner, walk the dog and then bath and bed. Sometimes, for variety, there is TV in there. Sometimes I have longer walks with the dog, sometimes it's coffee with friends, but that is the usual pattern in my work day life.

And as dull as it sounds, it was a comfort to get back into my usual daily schedule after two glorious weeks of vacation.

There have been some interesting developments - in the social life front (yes, me, an actual possible social life) and work is coming along well. I have an application in for a job in Parksville and if I get the job I have also decided that I want to stay here, in the Comox Valley.

No more significant moves please - this place feels like home for me.

But on to this week... and the smells of Christmas. I was talking with one of my girlfriends this morning about the smells we associate with Christmas - the most poignant of all being the smell of the *real* Christmas tree in the house. Gingerbread. Cinnamon in anything this time of year. baking and so on. All of it starting and ending with the smell of that real tree when you walk in the door of the house.

So this year, at 40 (a year that seems to be reminding me a LOT of how I felt when I was younger) I am going to have the first real Christmas tree since I moved out on my own (at 18.) I've been home for Christmas nearly every year (with the exception of a few while I was in Ontario, I mean) and Mum & Dad always get a real tree - so I haven't been Christmas Tree Smell deprived by any stretch of the imagination... but I've never been home through the holidays - I mean really HOME.This year I actually am (finally) really *home* and to anchor that in my heart and soul I am going to actually get and decorate a tree of my very own.

And after I have it set up and decorated, when I come into my house I will take that deep breath in and smell Christmas.

I wish you all of the joy and blessings that this time of year has to offer.