It's our last holiday season in Chicago. It's a shame that we don't get to do our usual tradition of taking the train downtown, exploring the Christkindlmarket at night with warm mulled wine/gluhwein. Or grabbing a hot cup of tea or coffee in the Drawing Room of the Chicago Athletic Association as we look out the windows, admiring the Christmas tree in Millennium Park while sitting next to a cozy fire. We won't get to spend a day walking down Michigan Ave to see the holiday window displays in the old Marshall Fields. We won't see the Christmas tree inside the Walnut Room, where they serve food from their original 1940's menu like chicken pot pie (such perfect comfort food on a windy and cold Chicago winter day).
At the very least, I ordered this year's Christkindlmarket mug and we've been having hot cocoa with mini-marshmallows at home with my little one. Now, we have a Christkindlmarket mug from each year that we've lived here. Although this years mug was particularly lovely (even without it's commemorative date on it), I'm not sure I could pick just one as my favorite. Like all my years in Chicago, each one was special for it's own reason.
This year is different. I'm not sure if it hurts more or less to leave Chicago when we can't do our favorite things "one last time." We'll be back to visit, especially in fall and winter. But this time... this time would have been our last time as residents, as Chicagoans. I wish I had known that the last time was the last time. This Orlandoan can't wait to see Chicago again.
I hope you have yourself a merry holiday season, no matter how little celebrating might be taking place.
Comments
Post a Comment