Dusting off Your Winter Coat

Although I do love a good fall festival, nothing quite compares to the early days of December, when you can feel the eagerness of everybody anticipating snow and the coming holidays. By then, the skies are grey and lonely since most birds have already migrated south. The air is crisp and you can breathe onto the windows, leaving behind little art pieces. The cheery atmosphere signals that it’s time to dust off your winter coat and head onto the streets. My favorite winter coat is a short beige puffer coat. It makes me feel like I’m being hugged by a little cloud while I waddle outside. Wearing this coat while holding hot chocolate in one hand and a hand warmer in the other, makes it finally feel like winter. The cold often reminds me of when my family decided to go to Busch Gardens and see the Christmas Town decorations, many years ago. The town looked like it came out of a children’s storybook. In the central square, a clock tower adorned with twinkling string lights stood over small European looking shops and restaurants. Every wreath and garland had been strung with care and every light made the smiling faces below beam with joy. While walking around the town, you could hear the murmurs of people and the soft Christmas tunes playing on the overhead speakers. It finally began to feel like the holiday season.