• Mint truffle Hershey kisses.
• Correspondences of all sorts from far-flung friends.
• Men in long winter coats. Woo woo!
• Garish displays of Christmas lights, nativity scenes, inflatable Santas, etc.
• Observing inflatable Santas that have face-planted into the sidewalk due to strong winds.
• Colorful scarves and mittens.
• Peppermint hot chocolate.
• Wearing long winter coats.
• Walking into a warm, dry building from the cold rain.
• Baking cookies.
• Carol of the Bells (by far my favorite Christmas song).
• Optimism about and hope for the upcoming year.

Though 2008 has yet to arrive, it promises to be a year of taking risks, playfulness, and adventure. I’ve already started the list of resolutions and, in the spirit of vanquishing procrastination (and, apparently, of using dramatic verbs), I have already begun to shift some of my behavior. (Not all of it, because change is scary.)

Let’s hope it lasts.