CHRISTMAS + DATES + COFFEE IS MY FAVORITE

It's sure beginning to look + smell + sound + taste + feel a lot like Christmas, y'all! If you're a Scrooge, please don't stand next to me for the remainder of the holiday season because I will drive you crazy with my Christmas enthusiasm and you will drive me crazy with your lack thereof.

This weekend was full of Christmas-y festivities and it definitely put me in full CELEBRATE mode. We had a banquet on Friday night for Ben's work, and that is always such a fun time for me getting to see all the people that he works with.

The highlight of our weekend was our Christmas date on Saturday. We got dressed up, had coffee + macaroons, went to the baby store, had dinner, had more coffee, and finished the date with the most glorious orchestra + singing performance I've ever experienced. We bought tickets for Handel's Messiah at the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra hall a few months ago, and I've been looking forward to it ever since. I've been to the orchestra a few times before, but never with singing accompaniment. And never to a performance so striking and inspiring and gorgeous. It was such a Christ centered program, and I just had to keep wondering if the musicians and singers and audience really got this…really got what this performance and this season is all about. Or if it was just another night of beautiful music for them…

Clearly, the grand highlight of Handel's Messiah was the "Hallelujah" chorus, and it sent chills down my spine the entire time. I didn't realize that it is tradition for the audience to stand during this song, based on the action of King George II who did so while watching this performance hundreds of years ago. I think it's a great tradition. It's also so fascinating to me that something like an orchestra program can remain so popular and well-known hundreds of years after it's written, and this is definitely one that should live on forever.

I also always thought that "Hallelujah" was the big finale of the performance, but it actually wasn't quite the end. We actually ended up ducking out almost right after this song because a certain someone was starving…this pregnancy hunger stuff doesn't mess around, ya'll. I don't get the I-must-have-food-now-or-else-I-will-fall-over thing very often, but when I do…it's pretty intense. My sweet husband took me to Panera Bread at 9:45 pm to get me soup + bread, and it was so perfect for my positively empty stomach. #pregnancyissoodd

What about you: what are some holiday activities you like to do each year or as a special treat?

I'd love to hear your thoughts!