A few weeks ago, it was freezing, but that didn’t stop us from heading out to Bennie’s Christmas Tree Farm in Tunkhannock with my sister and brother-in-law. The cold air, the quiet fields, and the smell of pine made it feel like pure Christmas.

We bundled up, walked through the rows of trees, and found the perfect one, simple, full, and just right for our home. We loaded it into the bed of our pickup truck, the branches dusted with cold air, and it felt like the start of the season.

Afterward, the four of us warmed up with a hearty brunch. It was cold day, a perfect tree, and good company, exactly how the holidays should be.