Sense of December

I look out my window and I see the christmas lights that adorn our porch roof. Clear lights on the mantel and candlelight on the table. Snow falling, catching the glimmer of headlights. Darkness.

I smell cookies and garlic and cinnamon. Scents from my time spent in the kitchen today. I want to smell cookies and nutmeg. And somewhere in there needs to be the scent of pine and cedar.

I crave the taste of deep dark gravy with wine and garlic. Roasted lamb shanks marinated overnight with fingerling potatoes. This is the time of year that I want something simmering in a pot or slowly cooked in the oven. I want to drink hot liquids and taste the melted white chocolate in the double boiler.

I listen to holiday music and sing along to my favorites. I want to hear my family's voices - laughter and lightness, relaxed and curious.

Going outside, I shiver in the cold and let the snowflakes fall onto my face. I've spent the day holding the gifts that I am going to give, wrapping and folding; stirring and cutting. I kissed my son on the cheek as he left after dinner and I held my husband's hand as he told me about his day.

See, Smell, Taste, Hear, Touch. What do your senses tell you about December?