there's magic in the air this evening, magic in the air

I love tradition.
I love that volumes of meaning and emotions and memories can be packaged into a seemingly insignificant action in a way that you don't even realize until you perform it.

You rip off a piece of Scotch tape (what a comforting smell) and stick it to some wrapping, smoothe it over with your thumbnail, and suddenly you're five years old, wrapping up a TMNT t-shirt for your brother, that you're confident he will love.

You turn on the Dance of the Sugarplum Fairies and know that no matter where they are, your siblings will at some point this season remember you pretending to be a ballerina while they flitted satirically around the living room .

You light a candle and chuckle (yes, chuckle) at the mere thought of the scene you tend to cause with your sister at the Christmas Eve service every year. (I can't help it my voice is so low.)

You sing a song and know that when the season is over, it will go into hiding, not to return again til next year, when every note will be just as you left it.

And for some reason, the more you repeat these traditions, the more powerful they are. The stronger the reminder that once you were happy and carefree, and with your favorite people. And you will be again and again, for as long as you commit to it. You have a shared history with these people you love, glued together with bars of songs, nutmeg, homemade stockings, memories of snow or ice, drippy white candles, and of course, Scotch tape.

Dang, who knew so much sentimental value could be attributed to office supplies? I should do marketing for 3M.