The Night Before Christmas

People may say that Christmas is a time for merriment and cheer, but I think that better descriptors would be disappointment, obligation and silent prayers for it to just be over already!

Now, don't get me wrong, I love the holiday season. It is the actual holiday itself that lends to misery. Not all my Christmases have been bad, most have just been anticlimactic. My favorite Christmas was the one I spent in Iraq with my best friends. It was simple and joyful and easy.

In an effort to create a new era of merry Christmas's on my terms, I set out to create my own holiday traditions. Christmas dinner with D.'s family was non-negotiable, so I decided to work around it and focus on Christmas Eve.

I wanted to enjoy the splendor of New York during the holidays and finish the evening basking in her glory with a martini. For this I decided to brave the hordes of tourists at Rockefeller Center and make my annual mecca to see the tree. I actually went to see the tree last year, so it could be considered an official tradition at this point! Unfortunately, last year we went during the day and were quite rushed. This year, it was beautiful.

The crowds merely added to the "quest feel" of the excursion. We fought our way through and I modeled in front of the iconic holiday symbol. After the "photo-shoot" we began ambling down Fifth Avenue, basking in the glow of the lights and the sound of carols. We finally arrived at 230 Fifth and headed-up to the heated roof-bar.

A word about 230 Fifth Ave, it is a totally duchie place! It is all velvet couches and waitresses in short skirts and (sorry fellas) investment bankers and European tourists. Despite all that, it happens to have 360 degree views of the city and a year-round heated roof deck. For these commodities I gladly paid $28 for two dirty martini's!

Sitting on the roof, sipping my perfect Kettle One martini, gazing at the red and green lights of the Empire State Building, scanning the skyline for the luminescent peak of the Chrysler Building, listening to the crooning voices of 1950's lounge singer belt out Christmas classics; I could do nothing but smile. This is my city, my Christmas Eve, my life. Looking through my pictures I saw happiness, no fake smiles or poses, just joy. It looked good, it felt good.

Merry Christmas to me.

Life is never exactly what you expect or want it to be. You can never go back in time, but you can make the most of what you do have. You can make your own traditions and indulge in those things that make you merry and fill your heart with cheer.