I was having a hard time getting into the holiday spirit this year. Not in a Scrooge or Grinch-like way, but I just wasn’t feeling it. I put up a Christmas tree in my apartment two weeks ago (if it qualifies, it’s three ft tall and lives on our kitchen table), enjoyed MMC’s fabulous holiday party last week and was listening to holiday music on repeat, but something was missing. I had hardly started my holiday shopping list, took no joy in trying to figure out what to buy my father or his girlfriend for Christmas and was at a loss when asked what I wanted. I knew Christmas (and MMC’s Gift Week) was right around the corner, but it didn’t quite feel like the season to me yet.

Saturday, I was at Bryant Park, finally making a dent in my Christmas list when the first flakes of the season’s first snowstorm began to fall. Suddenly the park, and New York City, was magical. Despite the cold, I chose to walk home so I could pass by Macy’s and through Herald Square in the snow. Although it doesn’t stick in the city like it does in my hometown in Massachusetts, there’s something inherently beautiful about the first snowfall that covers Manhattan. That day, I returned home to enjoy hot chocolate with my roommates by the soft glow of our baby Christmas tree and it finally felt like the holidays. The snow had kicked my holiday spirit into high gear.

Though, I will admit I found myself cursing the snow as I tried to (gracefully) leap inches deep puddles of slush when I ventured out to finish my holiday shopping on Sunday. My holiday spirit also began to wane when I was caught in the flurry right before Macy’s evacuated due to a fire. Nevertheless, I find myself truly looking forward to heading to Massachusetts to celebrate the holidays with family and old friends.

How did you get into the holiday spirit this year?