Hunt for the perfect tree

 
Ah, it's that time of year.  Time to break out the ornaments and the eggnog, cozy up with all those incoming catalogs, and listen to Bing Crosby.  After the pumpkins are put away, I just can't wait to buy a tree. Every year, I wear a red plaid shirt for this excursion, and I have grown a little nostalgic about it. Now my children see red plaid and know - it is officially the Holiday Season.

 To avoid feeling like a lumberjack, I like to soften the look with unexpected pieces.  This year, I chose over-sized black sunglasses, a soft vintage fur wrap passed down from my grandmother, and my favorite jeans and boots. Tree day becomes an occasion for family to come over and hang ornaments, so the juxtaposition of casual and traditional evening wear works.  I consider a beautiful (a teeny bit over the top) piece akin to the star on the top of the tree; the Holiday outfit isn't complete without it!

I love the idea that my children will remember these days as fondly as I do.  My mother and grandmother always made the start of the Season an occasion worth celebrating, not just Christmas itself, and as a result I still feel like a little girl when I hear those first jingle bells.

                  

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