Feeling Festive

Up until today, I hadn’t been really feeling the holidays.

It’s not that I don’t want to be in the Christmas spirit. But it hasn’t snowed yet in NYC, and I can’t find any of my favorite holiday tunes since I bought my new computer a few months ago.

I went to the Radio City Christmas Spectacular and tapped my feet in the audience as the Rockettes kicked for me.

I spent a divine evening at Lincoln Center watching the impeccable New York City Ballet dancers getting their Nutcracker on.

I got all of my shopping — and wrapping — done, and even exchanged one gift with ABS last night.

But still, I wasn’t feeling the Christmas love.

Bummer, right?

But today, I knew what I had to do to start getting excited, since I’m headed to New Hampshire on Thursday and celebrating Christmas with ABS and my family on Saturday.

So after finishing up my half day at the office, I prepared myself:

Headphones in. Christmas music cued up. (My current Christmas playlist is mostly Celine Dion, Jessica Simpson and Trans-Siberian Orchestra—I don’t have any of the good stuff loaded onto my computer yet.)

Uptown 1 train to Columbus Circle, please.

Ahhhhh. Christmas time at Columbus Circle. My happy place. I don’t care how flooded with tourists the Shops are or how packed the markets get. It’s beautiful.

I especially love the stars that change colors inside the Shops at Columbus Circle lobby.

So pretty, right?

After scooping up some last-minute presents for my mom and ABS, I headed across the circle to the Columbus Circle Markets.

I love these markets that are set up every year during the holiday season. They also have them at Bryant Park, the South Street Seaport and Union Square. But the Columbus Circle ones are my favorite and I think they’re the most manageable.

Check out those little puppy houses! So cute.

I picked up one last present — this one for my brother and sister-in-law — then it was back on the 1 train to get my sweat on.

The gym was nothing special. I planned to do Chisel and spinning, but once Chisel was over I just wanted to be home in my sweatpants, eating leftover Chinese food.

My knee has been bothering me a bit lately (to the point where I shortened my planned long run this morning to 3 miles) so I didn’t want to push it too hard at the gym tonight.

Now I’m home, delighted in the fact that it’s beginning to feel (not yet look) a lot like Christmas.

TELL ME: What’s your favorite part of the holiday season? The shopping? The music? The parties? The eggnog? The cookies? I love it all! But I think my favorite thing is finally arriving home and seeing how my mom has decorated our house. She’s a pro at decorating the house so that it’s classy but festive. (She favors snowmen over Santa Claus decorations, which I love.)