Given how unconventional last year’s holiday season was as a result of the pre-vaccination days of COVID-19, being able to return to beloved traditions this time around- the big and the small- has been such a joyous and often emotional experience.
I have delighted in decorating my apartment (although I still have to set my tree up this week now that I’ve bought some replacement lights!), doing my Christmas shopping and knowing I’ll actually be able to give presents to my loved ones in person again- and picking out wreaths and visiting tree farms where I can bundle up and stroll sprawling fields or cozy shops while I take in the scents of fresh pine, cocoa and cranberry.
Don’t get me wrong- I have a collection of holiday candles I’ve been lighting regularly and loving since Thanksgiving- but they aren’t quite the same as having a fragrant wreath and/or tree in your place! It truly gets you in the spirit of the season.
This past weekend, while finishing up some of my holiday shopping and preparing for a trip I’m taking to visit family in Maryland next week- I stopped at a couple of my favorite year-round farm stands and gift shops in both Deerfield and Auburn, Massachusetts- Atlas Farms and The Farmer’s Daughter.
I picked up a couple of wreaths and decorations for myself and some of my family who love visiting the Pioneer Valley but haven’t had the opportunity to make the trek out into my neck of the woods just yet. I highly recommend stopping by either location if you’re in Western or Central Massachusetts this holiday season and supporting small, local businesses that could use a helping hand as we continue to navigate through this pandemic.
A little later on this week, I’ll be participating in another annual tradition I missed out on last year and am eager to revisit- a holiday light display stroll in Rhode Island! I’m sure I’ll be sharing a lot of photos during that adventure!
xo
Coffee & Chiffon 