O Tannebaum: Not to be confused with The Royal Tenenbaums, I am speaking of the evergreen version. Christmas feels a little lost this year, in DC the weather is warm (68 last week) there is no sign of snow, and traditions are taking a pause. My mother usually has this genius idea to read a Christmas story every night in December, every night she starts and then without fail about 4 pages in, she is a sobbing mess and hands the book to my father or one of us to finish. By now presents have been put under the tree and I have carefully unwrapped and re-wrapped the ones for me. [yes I "ruin" Christmas for myself every year, have been since I was about 4] Paper plates of cookie assortments and chocolate dipped pretzels that look like they just got back from the war adorn our kitchen counters, little gifts from neighboring friends. These treats become my December feast, quick tip: 12 days after being dropped off red and green rice crispy cookies are really REALLY hard so I pour milk over them and eat them for breakfast. Waste Not! There are off key carolers, secret stash and dash Santa gifts left, and then there is Christmas baking. I could say a lot about this but in the spirit of the holidays and wanting people to still like me next year, I will refrain. And then there is the tree, ahh I love the smell, the needles that get stuck in your socks and poke your feet. My parents put up about 9 trees ever year with a big 15 ft tree in the living room, this year I don't have space for a tree and I think I miss that the most. So in place of my own, I take frequent walks, often out of my way, to the Eastern Market tree area, it is like walking through a forest. I walk slowly and inhale the whole time. The tree guys recognize me by now and have stopped asking if I need help, this little walk is my bit of Christmas memory just deconstructed.