It’s 12:05am EST. My friends in the UK are still sleeping. My friends to the west are still awake. Here I am welcoming in December 2009. Hello, December!

I love you for your coldness, your crispness, your stark trees that somehow remain beautiful, how you make me wrap up in a scarf, or a coat, or a blanket or a hug. Or maybe, on an especially lovely day, all of the above.

I love being able to see my breath, watch the steam rise off my morning coffee, craving fires to warm my icy feet, the hope of snow, the extra warmth of a kiss, snuggling with my furry pets, layering clothes of all different colors, pulling on big boots in the morning and the extra sweetness of the holidays.

I love for you making life more cozy and beautiful in the quiet you always bring. I love you for making me smile while (all warm and snuggly) watching lovely crafty videos like this one made for The Weepies “World Spins Madly On.” The lovely little monsters and everything else in this video is brought to you by Joseph Gaffney.

Hello, December, how I’ve missed you. Welcome back.

Please bring snow.