Sam and I are going to miss this tree. He and I share early morning in the glow of its lights. He takes up his position under its branches, curls into a furry ball and drifts into sleep. I sit, coffee in hand, iPad in lap, either simply staring at the tree or focusing on an ornament that sends me on a little trip down memory lane. Inevitably, I end up adding to a “to do” list.

January is going to be very quiet after the race to the finish line frenzy of the last week before Christmas. Remembering last year when Sam spent the first week of January tucked under the end table next to where the tree had been. Probably wondering why his world had been disrupted.

Thinking about happy new traditions that have been evolving over the last few years. Betsy, Lauren and I saw The Nutcracker for the third year in a row last Sunday. It has become a treasured yearly event. We all look forward to our early celebration of Christmas on the Cape the weekend before the actual day. And as I look at our tree, made special by the fact that Lauren and Michael positioned all the ornaments, it occurs to me that a new tradition may have been born this year.

Okay, back to reality. Need to get to work checking things off that list!