Well, I’m writing this note to you in the middle of high autumn. The transition from October into November is quite possibly the most magical time of year, weather wise.
It’s a near guarantee—you’ll have crisp temps, crisp leaves underfoot, crisp blazers coming out of the winter closet, and a general feeling of snappiness in everything you do. But what’s really exciting about this transition is the fact that it’s taking you someplace specific: straight into the arms of Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Thanksgiving is absolutely my favorite holiday—no, wait, Christmas really is. No, Thanksgiving. Tied, let’s say. But this year I’m pretty much doubly excited about both of them, and even the dreariness of January and February isn’t going to catch me sunawares.
Here’s why: I’m expecting a little bundle of joy in March of 2015. Even better, my schedule of baby-baking is timed exactly so that just as the weather grows colder, the belly will be expanding proportionally. Bingo. Extra layer. This means that throughout the entire progress of this winter, I’ll have a perfectly sized personal heater at my disposal.
Do you know how exciting this is? I don’t know if you remember last inter, but I do. I remember it the way we all remember trauma in our lives: a haze of gray, a chill right down into my shoulders, something about a polar vortex, school’s out (again) and cars stranded in driveways. Not even Starbucks would have saved us last winter (although I have to admit, something about the Starbucks arriving in Lebanon has made me feel armed for the season in a new way; it’s like I just bought a pair of winter boots).
So here I am, facing the cold season again with a heightened sense of excitement and invincibility. Let the storm rage on! Just like Elsa (but for different reasons) I’ll be ready to take everything in stride, warmed to the core by the tiny human in my belly. I’m enjoying the changing season for another reason, too, though. Wilson Living Magazine is a great place to be for seasonal aficionados. Getting my feet wet with WLM has been a fantastic opportunity to anticipate the cool weather and two-bestholidays even earlier than usual.
We’ve been up to our elbows in Thankgsiving recipes (check out Brandi Lyndsey’s mouth-watering contributions); gifts galore (Becky put together the 2014 guide for this issue that is to die for); cool artisan handiwork (nothing like cool weather to make a barn sale sound good); gift wrap jobs that literally look too pretty to unwrap (Elizabeth Sruggs strikes again); and scrumptious interiors already decked out for Christmas (the Bruces were overachievers and got theirs up pretty early for us).
I’m not the only one new to Wilson Living and swimming in holiday cheer. Jennifer Whitener, our new Marketing Director, has been tirelessly working to help bring you the best Wilson Living Holiday Expo yet. This year the free event will be spreading out and getting comfy at the Wilson County Fairgrounds. Mark your calendars: November 20-22. And don’t forget the Light up the Night GALA! You’ve heard it before but I’ll say it again: this is one party (Thursday night; tickets at wilsonlivingexpo. com) that shouldn’t be missed.
Jennifer and I have been working hard together under the watchful eyes and maternal wings of Angel and Becky, and (who are we kidding?) we’ll probably all be having our weekly board meetings (an inch of gossip for every foot of productivity; I’ll put it that way) for some time to come.
Our most recent meeting was more of a party—a painting party, in fact—at Scott Harris’ Art Mill in Mt. Juliet. That’s where we snapped this picture of the four of us. And we’re not the only ones! This month, one lucky reader will get to paint their own holiday masterpiece with a friend. Enter to win at wilsonlivingmagazine.com.
In the meantime, we continue to bring you a great product with the greatest of pleasure.
Thanks for turning the page,
Tilly
notes from the Managing Editor