August Christmas trees; last year’s tinsel; forgotten relatives; broken candy canes; whipped egg nog; red dresses; knit sweaters with Santa designs; icicles from eaves; shiny red nail polish; long airport lines; mistletoes; turkeys in ovens; waiting in line to sit on Santa’s lap; hand knit mittens with matching scarves; spinning dreidels; saluting soldiers; food drives; reindeers pulling presents; menorahs in windows; charity boxes; music boxes; days off school; Macy’s windows; rolls of wrapping paper; light-framed homes; glittered holiday cards hanging from fireplaces; snow drifts; moth ball-scented sweaters; unraveled bows; traffic jams; cracked ornaments; shoes sales; rubbed off lottery tickets; Salvation Army bells; jammed shopping malls; pancakes at IHOP; potato latkes; seven days of gifts; newspaper ads; Christmas Carols; nonstop holiday music on radios; knocks on the door; homesickness; homeless rolling on grassy fields to keep warm; and parades down main street.
