'Tis the Season

It's starting to look and feel a lot like Christmas around here. The tree is up (much to the cats' delight), the Holiday Mix playlist is shuffling through song after song, and plenty of baking has been going on. I hosted a Cookies & Cocktails party the other night where thirty women each came bearing a batch of cookies and/or a bottle of cheer to help kick off the holidays. We enjoyed copious cups of mulled wine and eggnog and swapped cookies so that everyone got to leave with an assortment of goodies. It was a great time and I'm glad to know I can fit so many people in here! I hope to do it again next year, as it's becoming a bit of a tradition...and because it makes me get out the tree and get festive. I forgot to take pictures that night, but here's one I took today of my gingerbread cookies. (Notice the Candlewick, Mom? And Jon says I never use those dishes. Bah humbug!)

But my favorite sign of the holidays so far is in the form of a small package that arrived in the mail the other day. Denis's first Christmas present. We couldn't bring ourselves to open it just yet, so we're saving it for a special day. Thanks, Grandpa Tom!