Inside the Christmas Tree

Last December, I went to my first Christmas tree lighting in Delray Beach. One of my friends from Junior League, Gillian, had invited me out with her and some of her friends. Atlantic Ave was bustling with holiday spirit, as children excitedly waited for Santa’s descent.

Lucky for us, we got outside seating at Tryst. As we waited for the lights to burn bright, we enjoyed wine, cheese and other finger foods over stimulating conversation. It was a fun night, which we capped off by walking over to the tree for a closer look.

One of the girls started talking about going inside the Christmas tree. I could feel my face crunch up in confusion mixed with interest. I had been living off of Atlantic Ave since 2010, and I never knew I could explore the inside of the Christmas tree. This is the moment I realized I had slacked in exploring my own backyard.

My junior year of college, I spent a semester abroad in Florence, Italy. I arrived in January, and my semester ended in April. This gave me four short months to explore as much of Italy as I possibly could. For this reason, I made sure I did everything I wanted to. I did not simply dismiss my beautiful surroundings as we tend to do once we are settled in. I had consciously vowed to take this lesson back to the States with me. After all, I grew up 20 miles outside of Boston, and yet, I barely knew the city…

This philosophy has stayed with me ever since, and I have been pretty good at living this way. However, as I enjoyed the holiday cheer all around me, I realized I needed to stop and appreciate my surroundings. When you move too fast, you miss the little details. And, sometimes, those little details can be the best part of life…

View more travel pictures.

Check out my blog, West Palm Beach: Two Ways to Enjoy the Christmas Spirit.

  

Tags: Boston, Delray Beach, Delray Christmas Tree Lighting, Florence, Florida, Gina Pacelli, Italy, South Florida, taking life for granted, the little things in life, travel