You and I had been dating for almost a full year now. New Year’s day would officially be our one year anniversary together, and neither of us could wait to spend it together.

Sharing an apartment in New York City, we’d been waiting for the time to come when we could decorate our space together for the holidays. We already had plans to go ice skating in Rockefeller Center, watch the ball drop in Times Square on New Years, and do other festive activities together. Now, Christmas was only a few weeks away. It was about time we put up a tree to decorate, some garlands, extra lights, and maybe even a few boughs of mistletoe in the doorways.

After spending all afternoon grabbing boxes of ornaments and decorations from the storage closet, we now laid against one another on the couch in the warmth of the fireplace. My arms wrapped firmly around your torso, I had a warm and content smile on my face as I watched you sip on your steaming mug of hot chocolate.

With a slight smirk, I bent my head down into the crook of your neck, murmuring against your ear. “Are you trying to put off the decorating? You can’t be tired already. We’ve hardly done anything.” I teased with a deep chuckle.

My smile only grew as you laughed in response, finishing the last few drops of your drink before sitting it on the coffee table and suddenly springing up off of the sofa with a bright smile. I followed your lead, padding over to the large box that held our Christmas tree with an admiring smile.

As we began to unbox the tree and piece it together in the corner of the living room by the large windows overlooking the city, the smell of sugar cookies and gingerbread filled our apartment, the appetizing smell wafting in from the kitchen where we had been baking earlier. This is what I enjoyed about the holidays the most— getting to spend time with you, my favorite girl.

I watched in complete awe as you pulled out the second box of tree decorations, a beautiful, eager smile on your lips as you waved me over, laughing.