"And glared white..." ~ Jane Eyre

It is the first snow of the season and I have two layers of socks on beneath my Ugg slippers. There is a plethora of pine trees outside the window of this apartment, and I love how the snow falls in the pockets of branches on each one. I am sipping coffee from an earthenware mug and anxious to trim my Christmas tree after brunch today with my family. Among the ornaments are two porcelain latte cups from Starbucks and plush maroon Ugg-esque boots that say Alaska on them.

My tree skirt is not on yet, so the pile of wrapped presents and stuffed gift bags is in a corner. There is one bag with a big, smiling snowman on it that contains a snowman making kit for Jack. I think this is the age where he will be interested in snow, so I am awaiting to see if he will talk about it at the brunch table today since the restaurant has bay windows circling the room except for the area by the fireplace.

I linger at my desk now, writing the final list of friends and family to send Christmas cards to. A bee is usually in my bonnet about Christmas cards ~ I always feel that they need to be mailed out on December 1st. Yesterday I stamped over 34 pieces with the holiday knits stamps and sent the cards on their merry way. Jack's card got two stamps, because its a huge snowman card that needed a little more postage! I believe that cards and trees and lights and decorations should be savored way before the final two weeks before Christmas, otherwise there is no time to enjoy and savor it all.

Savoring holiday moments with Jack is a priority this year, so I have taken a personal day on the 10th to do nothing but holiday activities with him...making a gingerbread house included. I am brainstorming ways of recreating him somehow outside of the house. I suppose it must be in cookie form, but I am not entirely sure how to capture his curly hair - I don't want it flat on a cookie...I want it more three-dimensional. My sister got him Grinch pajamas, so I am hoping that when we have breakfast on the 10th, he is wearing those since that is his Aunt Maimy's favorite holiday story. There are at least three different ornaments of the Grinch to be placed on my tree today.

My white tree lights are on, the snow is still falling on the pine trees outside, and I wonder what kind of sweater Jack will wear this morning (I hope it is the one with a train on it). As heavy as my heart tends to feel in certain moments, the light of the tree and the light snow and the lightness of my nephew's heart make everything shine for me this season.