When I gaze outside my window on a cold winter day, and I see crystal white snowflakes fall to the ground, I know that I am lucky to be living in New England. Connecticut is one state where every resident can experience the joy that every season brings. My favorite of those seasons is winter because I am able to celebrate my family traditions for Christmas.

Ever since I can remember, my family and I have gone to cut down our Christmas tree the day after Thanksgiving. For us, that starts off our Christmas season. We’ve gone to the same Sugar Plum Tree Farm every year and our cousins always come along with us. The feeling of searching for the perfect Christmas tree is so indescribable. The smell of pine needles is so comforting and the crunching sound my shoes make as I walk in the fluffy blankets of snow is so reassuring. My family and I all have contests to see who can find the best tree. Once we find it, we cut it down ourselves, cart it down the steep hill that welcomes us every time we pull up to the tree farm, and give it to the owner to help us get it on top of our car. There’s always warm, creamy hot chocolate waiting for us to mark the ending of the tree search, and mark the beginning of a Christmas to remember.
Once we are home, we get our Christmas tree in its spot right in front of our grand window in the living room, and the cheer begins. Christmas music is played all throughout our house and everyone helps to decorate the green tree. The bright, shining lights always go on first, and then they are followed by colorful beads that are strung across every branch. After the red bows are tied on so carefully, it’s finally the Christmas ornaments’ turn. Every ornament symbolizes a different story of past Christmas’. Some represent memories from my childhood, growing up with my twin brother. Some of the ornaments are homemade, but my favorite ornaments are the characters from the holiday classic movies.
At the end of the day, we sit back and gaze at the sparkling tree that we all helped to create. To me, that is the true meaning of the Christmas season; being close with your family and spending time with them is what’s most important.
All year long I look forward to the Christmas season. It’s my favorite time of year and even when one Christmas ends, I’m already counting down the days until the next one begins. All season long I listen to the joyful songs and watch all of the holiday classic movies with my family and friends. I bake homemade Christmas sugar cookies and have so much fun decorating them with red and green frosting and sprinkles. One of the most memorable experiences of Christmas for me has been celebrating Christmas Eve with my relatives. Every Christmas Eve since I was a little kid, my mom, dad, twin brother, and I travel to my Grandfather’s house in Waterbury. All of my cousins, aunts, and uncles join us as well.
My family is Italian and an Italian tradition is to eat fish on Christmas Eve. My Grandfather’s wife, Loreta, spends so much time and works hard in the kitchen to create a delicious meal for the whole family. Italian meals are always served in many courses. First comes out all of the antipasto, which is an Italian word for appetizers. There’s always plenty of homemade bread, olives, cold cuts, cheese, and salad to go around. Next, Loreta puts platters of fish out that fill the entire table. The homemade pasta and sauce is next and that is my favorite part. But after the pasta, the meal still has more to go. Chicken, vegetables, and potatoes are served on our plates. My Grandmother stands around throughout the entire meal, making sure every one has what they need. She will not sit down and eat her meal until she fills us up with so much food. To her, a “small” amount is a meal fit for a giant. After the meal “fit for a king”, we all come together and open our gifts for one another. My favorite part is being able to buy presents for my family and friends, and when I find something that is the perfect gift for someone, I get so excited. Then comes round two and we enjoy a whole platter of Italian pastry’s and homemade Christmas cakes.
But my favorite tradition on Christmas Eve is sitting down with my cousins and watching the classic movie, “A Christmas Story.” It’s played every year on Christmas Eve and my cousins and I have so much fun laughing and enjoying this great movie. This marks the end of an amazing Christmas Eve spent with the ones who care most about us.
The next day on Christmas morning, I always “dream” that it will be a White Christmas. My family and I wake up and eat our homemade Christmas cookies for breakfast. We all give our presents to each other and all morning long watch the Christmas Day Parades and celebrate by listening to cheerful Christmas music. I help my Mom prepare the mouthwatering homemade lasagna that we have for our Christmas dinner every year. After a day of relaxing, my family comes together and enjoys good food and good company.
That is a moment for me to reflect back on what an amazing Christmas season we all truly had. I think about how lucky I am to be living in Connecticut and to be able to enjoy such simple, yet such incredible traditions like these. Christmas is something that’s so important to me and I am able to experience because I live in New England. Next time I experience a snowfall on a winter day, or the next day that I cut down my Christmas tree, I won’t just take it for granted. I am so blessed to be able to spend time with my family and friends during the holiday season, and that’s why a Christmas in Connecticut is truly “the most wonderful time of the year.”