A Very Special Christmas

I have a confession to make: Christmas has never been one of my favorite holidays. In my book nothing tops Thanksgiving. Don't get me wrong, I see the appeal of Christmas - it just has never really spoken to me. Between this indifference and my crazy work schedule, I have spent most Decembers either working or traveling. I have never really done a San Francisco Christmas. Luckily my boyfriend Joey is a Christmas pro - and over the past week I have learned from him how to do Christmas in San Francisco right, and in the process I was even able to teach him a couple things: 

• Do not miss the gingerbread houses - I love the classic hotels of San Francisco. You will occasionally find me sitting in the lobby of the Fairmont, imagining that this is what heaven looks like. What I surprisingly did not know is that these hotels engage in a little friendly competition each holiday, creating iconic and extravagant gingerbread houses. Touring the hotel lobbies near Union Square and seeing 12-foot to even life-size ones easily began melting my Grinch-y heart and put me in the holiday spirit. I would highly recommend this free activity for kids of all ages.
• Ice Skating in Union Square is worth the hype - I was really skeptical of this idea. I had of course seen people spinning around this ice rink for years, but the crowds had always turned me off from pursuing it. While not the cheapest activity ($18 entry & skates, plus having to rent a locker, etc) I was pleasantly surprised how fun it was, even with a hundred amateur/beginner skaters flailing and bumping into you. The rink staff did a great job making sure everyone was safe, and you cannot help but get into the holiday spirit with the magical combination of Christmas carols and the Macy's tree - the perfect amount of kitsch and cliche. 
• Macy's windows will melt your cold heart- It did not take Joey to convince me of this tradition. This has been one of the few holiday traditions I have always loved. Macy's partners with the SFSPCA and features kittens and puppies available for adoption. Having adopted my own pet from this organization, I have an immense soft spot for the exceptional work that they do. One thing I did discover, is that they now offer a "cuddle experience" with the kitties inside Macy's! While we had to wait 30 minutes, and in the end we only had Joey's niece and nephew do it, seeing the joy on their faces was one of the highlights of the day. On a side note: I cannot recommend the joy of adopting a dog enough. My dog Wally has been the greatest addition to my life and I cannot wait to bring him to Paris.
• Get lost in Gump's - This was the one Christmas tradition I introduced to Joey. Walking through the beautiful ornament display in this San Francisco institution transports me back to an era out of Miracle on 34th Street. There is this warm feeling about the place that makes you suddenly feel like you want to be extra generous and buy everyone you love one of their beautiful gifts. In fact, this year I did...that part I do not advise, at it was not friendly to my soon-to-be-student budget. Oh, who am I kidding?? I loved every minute of that shopping experience! The customer service is the best! I just will try not to cry too hard when I get my credit card statement.
• Forget traditional cookies, go to Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory - While I had been here plenty of times, doing this during the holiday season may be a new tradition of mine. Cookies are always a crucial part of Christmas and getting warm, fresh cookies at the Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory fulfills this cookie mandate ten fold. Bonus: the walk through Chinatown from Union Square is incredibly beautiful.
• Alcatraz is even more beautiful in winter - As many people know, I enjoy going to Alcatraz any chance I get. This year I took my family for Christmas Eve, which was Joey's first time. For those visiting the city (or for those who live here), I cannot recommend enough going in winter. Not only do they offer the night tours (probably the best of all the tours) - the winter light gives you some of the most beautiful photos and views of the city. 

While these things have always been here, along with other holiday traditions like hot chocolate at Ghirardelli or stuffing your face with dungeness crab,   I think one of the things I learned about how to make the most of the holidays in San Francisco is surrounding yourself with people you love. This past week I have gotten to see my Mom, my siblings, Joey's family, my best friends - and practically everyone I love. My family began teasing me because I kept repeating the word "special" to describe the week. And while I should get a thesaurus and expand my vocabulary, it genuinely was the the word that continually came to mind. So I will say it again, even it I get teased once more: This Christmas was very special for me.