I Remember The Truth: A Warm December With You.

Happy December!
I can almost hear the Christmas bells ringing! I hope you all had absolutely fantabulous Thanksgivings/weekends. We can now officially say that the holiday season has begun! After my minor freak-out yesterday, I figured I really need to just steep myself in some good ol' fashioned holiday spirit.

I'll be the first one to admit it: I absolutely love the holiday season. Everything about it. To me, there are few things better than curling up in a big armchair in front of a fire reading a book with Ella (Fitzgerald) and Louis (Armstrong) jazzin' it up with a few Christmas standards in the background. Nothing can compare to the first snowfall, when the trees are bedecked in the most beautiful, pure white or a night's drive passing by houses with windows illuminated by lights.
I just love December.

Formula for a perfect December

1.
Start with a pristine snow-swept day.


citation.

2.
Add a blazing fireplace and a deliciously cozy armchair.



3.
Multiply that by a soundtrack that perfectly complements those brisk wintry days when the wind numbs your lips and you can watch your breath spiral into the white-washed air. I'm always inclined towards all things acoustic when it comes to these types of things.

A Wintry Mix. (hah get it? I'm so punny.)
Skinny Love...Bon Iver
Closer...Joshua Radin
Casimir Pulaski Day...Sufjan Stevens
Ice Age...Pete Yorn
What If You...Joshua Radin
If You Were Here...Cary Brothers
I Sing I Swim...Seabear
Someone Else's Life...Joshua Radin
To Be Alone With You...Sufjan Stevens
Re: Stacks...Bon Iver
Eyes...Rogue Wave
The Fear You Won't Fall...Joshua Radin
Lovers Without Love...Joshua James
Ride...Cary Brothers
I'd Rather Be With You...Joshua Radin
For the Widows in Paradise, for the Fatherless in Ypsilanti...Sufjan Stevens
World Spins Madly On...The Weepies
I'll See Your Heart, and I'll Raise You Mine...Bell X1
The New Love Song...Joshua James

And, of course, my two quintessentially "winter day" type of songs:




The first is quaint and just undeniably adorable, it sets me in the perfect mood to enjoy a little time at Starbucks and just take everything in. The second...it's hard to begin to explain how much I love this song. It's simple, but never, ever, ever gets old...which is a hard thing to achieve. There's such a beauty to it that hasn't been tampered with and it can perfectly align to most anything on my mood spectrum. It's just love.
(some of you might recognize it from Scrubs...the episode of which has got to be one of my favourites...I'll own up that it makes me misty-eyed...and I'll own up that that was an EXTREME understatement)

4.
Subtract the below zero temperatures, add hot chocolate for good measure.


citation.

5.
Square that by the release of the Rodarte for Target collection, DECEMBER 20TH.

A kind warning to all of you: this champagne lace dress is MINE in a small. If you see me snatch at you with my claws out during the opening, you will know that you have GONE TOO FAR.


6.
Subtract the money needed for holiday gift shopping.

7.
Add a Wish List!




-A subscription to Pop and/or Lula and/or Russh and/or Crash. I'm having a really hard time deciding which to ask for...any advice?
-An assortment of Urban Outfitters goodies, including a wide variety of shoes
-Illustration markers
-A subscription to Netflix
-A new ipod (since mine is on the brink of death)
-A Danny Roberts print
-An unbelievably huge cork board with massive mood board potential
-Richard Avedon photography book
-A book from Easton Press...I think they're so beautiful

= = = = = =

a beautiful, spectacular, stellar, cozy, warm, brilliant, decadent
DECEMBER