Like Maria in the ‘The Sound of Music’, I, too, love &uot;raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens&uot;. That Rodgers and Hammerstein musical is one of my favorite things, in fact. Here are a few more, especially geared to this wonderful season. Maybe you will see a few on your own in my list. Enjoy!

Driving through downtown Greenville after dark, when all the Christmas lights are glowing…the scent of a fresh-cut Christmas tree…watching ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ and always crying when the toast is made to George Bailey, &uot;the richest man in town&uot;.

Listening to Christmas music on the radio as I drive…hearing Linus repeat the beautiful passage from Saint Luke to his pal, Charlie Brown…remembering the magic of snowy Midwestern Christmases past.

Wearing my Christmas togs and Santa hat and seeing people smile…the sound of jingle bells…watching the report on Santa’s travels on the local news…listening to ‘Carol of the Bells’…my mother’s fruit cake cookies…my mother-in-law’s red velvet cake.

Watching the 1951 version of Dickens’ ‘A Christmas Carol’ and reveling in the incomparable Alistair Sim as Scrooge…seeing my teenage tabby cat curled up asleep underneath our Christmas tree…re-reading my favorite children’s books…remembering my dear old dad in his Santa suit.

Watching the people I love open their presents on Christmas morning…going caroling with friends…fudge!…turning off all the other lights except the ones on the tree…the music from ‘The Nutcracker’.

Images of bewildered shepherds on their knees and radiant angels rejoicing…a child’s laughter…people-watching at the malls…wrapping presents…slipping goodies into Christmas stockings.

Cuddling beneath flannel sheets on a cold December morn…sipping hot spiced cider from a festive mug…receiving Christmas cards from distant friends…making my cats wear Santa caps and holiday collars for photo ops (they look so cute!)…watching my cats play and pounce among the discarded wrapping paper and ribbons on Christmas morn.

The scent of gingerbread baking…Benny’s rum cake…Chevy Chase and his home decorating mania in ‘Christmas Vacation’…memories of that smiling Santa on the unicycle at the old Planter’s Department Store downtown.

Homemade chocolate covered cherries…shopping for toys for my great-nieces and nephews…re-reading ‘The Gift of the Magi’…packing shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child to bring smiles to children far away.

Singing ‘Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer’ with the echo part…candlelight…having Jesus in my heart today and every day…knowing people love me in spite of myself.

My well-worn red suede Reboks with their threadbare sparkly green laces…candy canes…a job where I can write about Christmas!…cozy P.Js…my beautiful Christmas doll on the piano.

Shopping for Barbie stuff at Elmore’s 5 and 10 Cent Store as a kid…Tennessee Ernie Ford’s version of ‘Some Children See Him’…Hermey, the misfit elf…readers like you.

Merry Christmas!

Angie Long is the Lifestyles reporter for the Greenville Advocate and can be reached at 382-3111 or via email at angie.long@greenvilleadvocate.com.