Laura's Holiday Travel Traditions-- a Sneak Peek of What's to Come!

Beers, brats, badgers and basements? It’s Christmas in Wisconsin! For the last 15 years, Doug and I have spent every other Christmas at Doug’s parents’ house in Middleton, Wisconsin. And for the last 15 years, I’ve had to remember to pack a bundle of rubber bands in my suitcase. You see, after a few days of drinking beer, eating brats, and watching the Badgers play hockey on the basement TV, I have to call upon these rubber bands to help keep my pants up. (Remember the pregnancy trick? Yeah, well, only in this case, my “expanding belly” isn’t the result of a growing baby… it’s the result of blissful gluttony!) Oh – and did I mention that Doug’s mom is famous for her Christmas baking? She makes hundreds (yes hundreds!) of cookies each season. Sigh. I’m drooling (and happily expanding!) already!!

But the cookies and the beers aren’t my favorite part about our trips to Wisconsin. No, my favorite part is simply being there. It’s watching Huck have the time of his life with his grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. It’s walking with Doug past the elementary school that he attended; listening to stories about him and his childhood friends. My favorite part is being able to see – and to feel – just a wee part of Doug’s life when he was a kid. Call me sentimental (yes, I am in fact crying a bit writing this), but being able to sleep and eat in the house where Doug grew up (and being to watch Huck enjoy the same house) is one of the most special things in the world for me! And now it’s a tradition. (As is knitting on the plane to Wisconsin and knitting in the basement while the Badgers play!)

(We stay here in Tahoe the other years – and also for Thanksgiving.)

Over the next couple of weeks, we'll be sharing with you the holiday travel traditions of the owners of each of the companies (Lorna's Laces, Chicken Boots, Artyarns, and Dream in Color are included, just to name a few) who are participating in our upcoming Holiday Collection which will be available starting November 22nd. (Remember Operation Turkey Trot aka. Fit for a Feast last year? Well we think you are going to LOVE what we have in store this year!) I hope you'll check back over the next couple of weeks to read each of the holiday travel stories and catch some hints and clues as to what's in store for this year's collection!

Hope you have a happy holiday season with your loved ones!

Laura