I Love Traditions

Nothing makes me feel happier inside than the Christmas season. Seeing friends and family, decorating the house, buying presents (and well if I am honest, getting presents!). Growing up I always remember going to the city the weekend of Thanksgiving with my mom and dad, along with many of the neighbor families. We would take the train, look at the Marshall Fields windows, eat lunch in the Walnut room under the big tree, head up to the toy department to pick out a stuffed animal, eat Garrett's popcorn, listen to my dad whistle Christmas tunes as we walked down State Street and Michigan Ave. To this day those days are some of my favorite memories of Christmas.

Last year Eric and I decided we needed to start our family tradition and wanted to keep it in the city. Come on who doesn't love Chicago at Christmastime? We kept it almost the same this year (minus the Zoo Lights. Totally bummed about that, but we had too much down time to kill before it got dark). We headed to the Christkindlmarket for some good ole German food (Eric sometimes really likes to embrace his whatever percent German he is and talk as though Germany is his pride and joy. I don't get it, but it is cute). I think we hit up every line this year. We literally waited in line for brats, ate them as we waited in line for potato pancakes, ate those while we waited in line for hot chocolate and then headed to the hot pretzels. Can you say stuffed?!?!?!

We spent the rest of the afternoon just walking around Michigan Ave. holding hands. It was so great to spend an entire day together. I don't think that has happened in a while. It is always a great reminder as to how much fun we have together.