I’m a BIG Christmas fan. Always have been. Up until the year Matt and I married, I spent most Christmas mornings from 2:00am to 5:00am tossing and turning having internal fights with myself about the merits of staying in bed versus getting up to snoop ONE MORE TIME. I was an expert level tape unsticker and had mastered the art of rewrapping a gift to perfection; if there were an award given, I would win it. Hands down.

At some point during the years where my little brother was old enough to understand the Santa concept, I took my sneakiness a step further. At 6:00am every Christmas morning I would sneak into my little brother’s room and wake him up, whispering that Santa had come and eaten the cookies we left out (yes, this makes me a manipulator). He would run from his room to my parents room, inevitably screaming that SANTA HAD COME, SANTA HAD COME. People, I did this almost every year for 10 years. TEN YEARS.

My parents could never figure out how my little brother – who has always been fan number one of the concept of sleep – would miraculously wake up at 6:00am every Christmas morning. I should be hanging my head in shame. Should be. But I don’t because, secretly, one of my favorite memories of Christmas was the look of pure joy that my little brother’s face contained when I would wake him up.

I’ve never told him that but it’s one of those special moments that he and I would share every Christmas morning and this Christmas, as I knocked on his door to wake him up (at a very humane 9:00am, thankyouverymuch), I was vividly reminded of those looks of his.

You may be wondering what this has to do with Matt & Lizzie. I promise there is a point to this long story.

If you’re new to the ol’ blog; Matt is my little brother (not to be confused with husband Matt; we’re totally a nickname family) and Lizzie is his beeeeeautiful girlfriend Lizzie (whom I adore). That look of pure joy that I was referring to earlier? I see it all the time when they are together. And to this sister who is her little brother’s biggest fan? That look means more than I can say.

While I was home for Christmas, we headed into the Big Apple for some Central Park goodness.

i’m yours,
melissa

my portfolio | email me
follow me on twitter