Holiday 2010: It's Go Time.

I really, really like the holiday season. Especially in New York City, where tossing the word 'magical' around is completely appropriate. The shop windows, the Rockefeller Tree, the ice skating rink in Central Park--it truly is a spectacular time to be in the city. Still, the pragmatist in me can't help being just a smidge put-out by the crazy jump in tourist traffic and the unending barrage of commercials insisting that we fill our houses with more and more stuff. There's a lot of pressure to create one perfect, joyful, toy-filled day, and truthfully, I could sorta care less about the presents. I live far from my family, and spending quality time with them is truly the only thing on my wish list for the holidays. Wow, that was sappy.

Naturally, I won't show up to their houses empty-handed, but gifts won't be the emphasis of the holiday for us, because I don't want to spend the entire season in a mall. I want to spend it doing stuff like this.

1. Picking out a cute little tree with my boyfriend:

{Clearly, I take tree shopping very seriously.}

{We've got ourselves a keeper!}

2. Indulging in delicious baked goods 

{Hello heaven. I had no idea I'd be meeting you so soon.}

{I'm taking a pass on the pumpkin.}

{It's officially chocolate time. Whipped cream included. Well, not exactly included. They actually charged me 40 cents extra for it. I would have paid 80. Suckers!}

3. Tripping over small children at an ice skating rink:

{Dorothy Hamill--eat your heart out. Small children--use your peripheral vision. You're gonna need it.}

How'd you guys kick off the official start to the holiday season?