A Very New Jersey Christmas

Phew! That was in-TENSE.

Just came back from a drive-by, fly-by whirlwind week in New Jersey and New York, to celebrate Christmas with my family and see a few people for a hot minute. I think I have whiplash, seriously.

There are so many favorite bits to coming back home, from the what-I-would-like-to-believe-is-sincere "Welcome home" from the beefy guy at Newark Airport customs to hitting the mall for some Only 8 fro-yo. It's the little things, really.

I came home after midnight the Wednesday before Christmas to this gorgeous tree, which is festooned with ornaments that are lovingly unpacked and re-packed in bubble wrap by my mother each year. I don't think I've got the patience, so thank goodness she does. I just like to search for my favorite ornaments, which always feel new every time I see them. Maybe I should just hide things from myself for a year, and that way I'll always feel like I have new treasures.

I was also pleased to find a sizable collection of New York Times Magazines waiting for me, particularly one with an excellent cover feature on Nancy Meyers, whose sense of interiors just slays me. I haven't seen "It's Complicated" yet, but I'm sure I'll be seething with envy after leaving and investing in some fluffy oatmeal towels or something. (Nancy Meyers for Bed Bath and Beyond would just be my dream collaboration.)

Later that week, I hit up the mall where my beau scored a pair of Sevens at the Nordstrom half-yearly sale (nice), and I was astounded to see that the gorgeous guy at the Turkey & Salad Express is still working there. My friends and I used to love him in middle school, and he's still there. (His dad owns the place, I heard.) Fro-yo ensued.

While I was home, I also had the pleasure of coming face-to-face with the show I keep reading about, "Jersey Shore." One word: wow.

If that show was supposed to make me lose my faith or pride in coming from Jersey, it didn't work.