Catherine Nicolai

He had a worried look about him, his hands crammed in his pockets, and he hurried to the shop door and found it locked. Hello, I called out to him. He turned toward me, shielding his eyes from the bright strings of Christmas lights. Hello, he called back. Looks like I've missed the, well, not the boat, but maybe the sleigh? I chuckled and strolled into the pool of light.

Nearly, but as long as I'm here, I might be able to help. Need a tree? He sighed and smiled gratefully. Yes, I meant to make it out earlier, but work kept me late, and I just don't want to go home one more day without one. I'll take any tree you've got. Must be Kismet. I just found an orphan tree in the field. I pulled the tree down from the trailer and stood it for him beside the baler.

Nearly, but as long as I'm here, I might be able to help. Need a tree? He sighed and smiled gratefully. Yes, I meant to make it out earlier, but work kept me late, and I just don't want to go home one more day without one. I'll take any tree you've got. Must be Kismet. I just found an orphan tree in the field. I pulled the tree down from the trailer and stood it for him beside the baler.

Nearly, but as long as I'm here, I might be able to help. Need a tree? He sighed and smiled gratefully. Yes, I meant to make it out earlier, but work kept me late, and I just don't want to go home one more day without one. I'll take any tree you've got. Must be Kismet. I just found an orphan tree in the field. I pulled the tree down from the trailer and stood it for him beside the baler.

The piney scent was thick in the air, and I saw his face soften as he looked at it. That's just the kind we had when I was a kid. It smells just the same. Well then, I thought someone had left it behind, but now I guess they'd cut it for you. They must have known you'd be late and needed it. His eyes brimmed, and he bent his head, feeling around in his pockets for his wallet.

The piney scent was thick in the air, and I saw his face soften as he looked at it. That's just the kind we had when I was a kid. It smells just the same. Well then, I thought someone had left it behind, but now I guess they'd cut it for you. They must have known you'd be late and needed it. His eyes brimmed, and he bent his head, feeling around in his pockets for his wallet.

The piney scent was thick in the air, and I saw his face soften as he looked at it. That's just the kind we had when I was a kid. It smells just the same. Well then, I thought someone had left it behind, but now I guess they'd cut it for you. They must have known you'd be late and needed it. His eyes brimmed, and he bent his head, feeling around in his pockets for his wallet.

The shop was closed, our register shut down for the day. And as he drew out a card, I reached for the bailing twine to tie the tree to his roof. Ah, never mind, I said. Just pass it along, okay? Before the year is out. Deal? He helped me hoist the tree up onto his car and caught the edge of the twine as I tossed it. Deal. And Merry Christmas. Game Night The tree was still up.

The shop was closed, our register shut down for the day. And as he drew out a card, I reached for the bailing twine to tie the tree to his roof. Ah, never mind, I said. Just pass it along, okay? Before the year is out. Deal? He helped me hoist the tree up onto his car and caught the edge of the twine as I tossed it. Deal. And Merry Christmas. Game Night The tree was still up.

The shop was closed, our register shut down for the day. And as he drew out a card, I reached for the bailing twine to tie the tree to his roof. Ah, never mind, I said. Just pass it along, okay? Before the year is out. Deal? He helped me hoist the tree up onto his car and caught the edge of the twine as I tossed it. Deal. And Merry Christmas. Game Night The tree was still up.

and we still had plates of cookies, decorated with red and green icing, and plenty of leftover holiday cheer. And while the days before the 25th were full of that lovely anticipation that only happens once a year, The days immediately after felt like a deep sigh of relaxation. Everything was done, and now we could just enjoy a bit of time before we put our ducks in a row for the coming year.

and we still had plates of cookies, decorated with red and green icing, and plenty of leftover holiday cheer. And while the days before the 25th were full of that lovely anticipation that only happens once a year, The days immediately after felt like a deep sigh of relaxation. Everything was done, and now we could just enjoy a bit of time before we put our ducks in a row for the coming year.

and we still had plates of cookies, decorated with red and green icing, and plenty of leftover holiday cheer. And while the days before the 25th were full of that lovely anticipation that only happens once a year, The days immediately after felt like a deep sigh of relaxation. Everything was done, and now we could just enjoy a bit of time before we put our ducks in a row for the coming year.

A few years back, we'd started a tradition for the 31st, and it had stuck. we'd had our share of glamorous New Year's Eves. Nights out, dancing into the wee hours, coming home with confetti in our hair and crumpled noisemakers in the pockets of our coats. At some point, that kind of celebration had slipped down the other side of the hill and gone from exciting to exhausting.

A few years back, we'd started a tradition for the 31st, and it had stuck. we'd had our share of glamorous New Year's Eves. Nights out, dancing into the wee hours, coming home with confetti in our hair and crumpled noisemakers in the pockets of our coats. At some point, that kind of celebration had slipped down the other side of the hill and gone from exciting to exhausting.

A few years back, we'd started a tradition for the 31st, and it had stuck. we'd had our share of glamorous New Year's Eves. Nights out, dancing into the wee hours, coming home with confetti in our hair and crumpled noisemakers in the pockets of our coats. At some point, that kind of celebration had slipped down the other side of the hill and gone from exciting to exhausting.

and that's when we started game night. We'd invite half a dozen or so friends, make a big buffet of snacks, and clear off the kitchen table to make space for fun. Remember fun? When we were kids, we woke each day with a deep-seated need and an insatiable appetite for it. We sought it out and often found it a hundred times a day.

and that's when we started game night. We'd invite half a dozen or so friends, make a big buffet of snacks, and clear off the kitchen table to make space for fun. Remember fun? When we were kids, we woke each day with a deep-seated need and an insatiable appetite for it. We sought it out and often found it a hundred times a day.

and that's when we started game night. We'd invite half a dozen or so friends, make a big buffet of snacks, and clear off the kitchen table to make space for fun. Remember fun? When we were kids, we woke each day with a deep-seated need and an insatiable appetite for it. We sought it out and often found it a hundred times a day.

We made up games in an instant, played them until we thought up a better one, and then played that. Game night always reminded me how vital fun was. how good it felt to laugh until my cheeks hurt. And now, instead of waking up bleary-eyed and head achy on New Year's Day, I was guaranteed to wake up feeling like a kid again.