The sights and sounds of Christmas are often the most noted and initially recognized of the five senses. They are the stimuli that stir the excitement. The catalyst that triggers the little kid in us, and it makes sense (no pun intended). But one sense that flies under the radar is smell.
Malls and department stores are decked out in red and silver garland, large wreaths with equally large red bows and snowflakes hanging, reindeer and elves on display and the classic clear, red, blue, green and yellow lights are lining everything.
Santa Clauses chanting “HO-HO-HO” are set up, with a line of parents waiting to take their children's picture, while the children hold Christmas lists in their eager hands.
Though they are for a good cause, the annoying bell jingling of Salvation Army volunteers, “Santa Baby”, “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”, and the myriad of Christmas songs play in the background.
The Christmas movie classics that flood the television stations throughout the season. (National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation is my personal favorite)
Those are just some of the visual and audio signs that Christmas is here. It is impossible not to notice them. It slaps you in the face. They are what get people's attention and get them excited about the holiday season.
The glamour and abundance of Christmas decorations and music are why they are the most notable of the “holiday senses” as I will call them. They detract from the other senses because of their lack of subtly.
Let me be clear, I love the glitz of the decorations as much as anyone, if not more, and I am not putting them down in any way, shape or form.
Okay now that that is established, the sense that gets overshadowed and sets off my inner Clark Griswold is smell. The smells, or better yet the scents of Christmas, smell gives a smelly connotation, really do it for me.
The number one smell that signals the start of the Christmas season is the tree. My family bought the tree today and the first whiff I inhaled as it sat in our living room sent my mind into Christmas mode.
Because of their efficiency and eventual cost savings, the fake Christmas trees have become the norm for most families. Every time I hear about a family switching to the fake trees my heart breaks a little.
Going to a tree lot and finding the Christmas tree that will grace ones house that Christmas is a special tradition for those who do it. Hanging ornaments, untangling the lights and putting the star on the top of the tree falls into the “special tradition” category as well.
All of that is lost, or undiscovered if fake trees takeover. I’m going a little off topic, and becoming a little glum, with this whole fake Christmas tree talk; so, to bring it back to the scents of Christmas, the fake trees do not smell. Enough said.
The smell of chimney smoke for some reason adds to the holiday cheer for me. It is probably something from childhood that is hidden in the corners of my mind.
What will fill every corner of my stomach, and is the most potent scent of the Christmas season for me is my mom’s cookies. They are objectively delectable, and I have complete confidence stating that.
Every year she makes about five different types of cookies. Her signature classics are her chocolate chips. It is the always consistent cookie that everyone enjoys. Old reliable it is known as. She also makes more gourmet cookies and adds a new cookie every year.
The smell these cookies give off is second to one when it comes to Christmas, and that is the tree.
Whether it is the sights and sounds, or the scents that puts people in the Christmas spirit, I hope it gets to everyone.
Merry Christmas.
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