The Blue Gypsy

The Holidays. Once upon a time, the two weeks we had off for Christmas and New Years were the most joyous two weeks of a child's life. Endless amounts of cookies, candies, cakes and presents piled up in our household. Every family in our South Bay neighborhood of Hermosa Beach, had some sort of beautiful, cozy Christmas party, or Hanukkah get together. I would often have some kind of gift exchange, cookie exchange, or child fantasy extravaganza to attend. Since I was little my parents emphasized how important it was to embrace the reason for the two week break (Jesus' birth), which I definitely had an appreciation for, but not as much as the million of Archie comics I was about to receive that would fill me with months of Betty & Veronica gossip (I couldn't wait!). But now, that I'm thirty......two, ugh...how did that happen....my holidays are crazier than I ever anticipated. I always said I would never be that person who would want to rush through, eager for January 2nd, but every year I feel our social and work calendar gets busier and busier, especially now that I've officially "settled down", whatever that means. The past two years we have traveled from our crisp 70 degree beach town to blustery Chicago, Illinois, which we absolutely love, but I never realize how freezing I'll be until I'm standing there in tights, literally dying. I'm SOOO from LA when I say to my husband two days before we leave, "I'll be fine in this coat from H&M, right?", and he looks at me like I'm an insane person....I bring it anyway because why do I need an ugly giant puffer jacket for three days of the year? Once in Chicago, I am in magical giant city fairy heaven. I love big cities, especially when there is snow. This year, there happened to be no snow? El Niño what? Wait, is that a California thing? It was actually around 50 degrees, which to this Cali girl was freezing, but at least I didn't have to put a hundred layers underneath my cute coat, and I was able to rock the "snow acceptable" tights that I brought along. We enjoyed dining at fabulous restaurants like Bavette's Bar & Beouf and Mercadito, both with a fun bar scene as well as delicious eats. We spent hours walking down Michigan Avenue and popping into little shops and malls along the way so I could visit Santa Claus. Just kidding, kind of...PS now you need to make an appointment online if you want to see legit Santa. And last but not least enjoyed some much needed family time with Ryans' mothers' extended family, and I finally got to see my sweet little nieces (Kylie, Joli and Presley) after 4 long months away. In all the hustle and bustle that is "Married Christmas", I'd say it's still as special to me now as it was when I was little, making new memories and traditions with my ever so adventurous, lovable, handsome and silly husband... maybe he'll surprise me with the newest Betty & Veronica?