Catching Up to Christmas

This year has gone faster than I could have imagined it to.  Just when I had gotten used to the idea of it being November, suddenly the blustery winds brought on December.  Then out of the blue, someone told that Christmas is next week.  Let me repeat that dramatic emphasis, Christmas.is.next.week.  Clearly no one deemed it necessary to tell me this sooner.  

In my frantic realization of the impending Christmas, I baked 13 dozen cookies tonight.  I'm not sure where the logic behind this was.  Perhaps it was my way of playing catch up for the overlooked season.  I thought I had prepared for this.  Laid cookie plans in advance.  But yet here I am suddenly a week out from the holiday.  It's yet to be determined whether my cookie baking marathon tonight has resolved my feeling of panic.  Maybe just a few dozen more will help...

Aside from the lingering smell of chocolate chip cookies, gooey walnut bars and pecan nut tossies, there are a few distinguishing signs of Christmas around the house.  Though there isn't a tree, which may ultimately have led to my holiday amnesia, there are holly berries scattered throughout.  Yes, there is a distinct berry theme this year.


My fireplace?  Bricks are already red.  Instant Christmas.
I'd say I went with a more minimalistic approach to this year.  But throw on Frank Sinatra's White Christmas, candles burning in the fireplace and I'm all set.