December

December.

Oh, December. The most magical time of year.

Mothers in the kitchen baking gingerbread cookies and peppermint treats. Fathers building wooden train sets for their little boys. Little girls watching Clara with twinkling eyes as she twirls across the stage in the classic ballet performance of The Nutcracker. Images of a newborn child beneath a bright, twinkling star, stories of the Sugar Plum Fairy and Mother Ginger, pictures of Jolly Old Saint Nick with his rosy cheeks, its no wonder December evokes those magical feelings and warmness in our hearts.

But we all know this ideal Christmas is more a fairy tail than the stories of Hansel and Gretel and the Sugar Plum Fairy, read to the picture perfect children, sitting next to the picture perfect fireplace, in this picture perfect Christmas. Little girls refuse to ware bows now days and never have the patience for the classical arts. Mothers are not in the kitchen, they are fighting their way through crowds at the mall on Black Friday, attempting to get the best deal on the latest electronic gadget her daughters heart desires. Fathers are in the office, striving to ensure his family will be able to have the best Christmas he can provide for them. The shiniest things are no longer the star that guided three Wise Men, or the gleaming lights on the Christmas tree, but it is the huge stack of presents beneath the tree, with all the shiny new iPods and paper-thin laptops that consume our thoughts during this last month of the year.

But to satisfy our hearts longing for tradition and that picture perfect Christmas we all secretly want, we must turn to fashion. White dresses reflect the perfect layer of snow that covers the gingerbread houses and remind us of the spirit of the beloved Clara. Fur Coats remind us of the warmth that comforts us in the harsh winds, and the simple things we can do to help someone in need. Knitted sweaters remind us that we need to call our Grandmother, whom we often forget about even though we know she is always thinking of us. And, best of all, anything that sparkles reminds us of the great Star of Bethlehem that guides us to the one newborn, whose birth reminds us of the real reason for Christmas.