All The Trimmings

This is such a festive time of year, and nearly everything that can be decorated ends up with some little bit of adornment. For today’s prompt, I decided to just doodlewash a piece of a tree, because I didn’t have time to paint an entire one. Please simply imagine the full tree glowing brightly off to the left of this sketch once you’ve pulled your head out of these branches. This particular type of glass ornament gets rarer each year as no matter how gently we pack them, one inevitably gets shattered at some point. Instead of getting upset, I just see it as a smashing start to the holiday. Once we’ve had a chance to pull out all of the decorations for the year, the house will soon be glowing and glistening once again. It’s amazing how many little doodads and bobbles I’ve forgotten that we own when we go to unpack the boxes. Though many have been here for years, I tend to forget what’s there, so it’s always like opening the very first gift of the season.

My favorite part of this time of year is lighting and turning off the Christmas tree each evening. It’s silly, perhaps, but it’s a wonderful event. It’s made even more fun since I still use the Treeluminator, now a collector’s item, and a fabulous contraption, that appeared in the Hallmark movie I helped produce called Northpole. That was such a fun experience, and brings back lovely memories. Getting to work on holiday products at Hallmark for years was also a gift in itself! This is definitely my favorite season of the year! There are so many wonderful things that only seem to happen during this time. I get to see my family again, and then get to spend the remainder of the month enjoying silly and heartfelt traditions with my tiny family at home. We’re not actually tiny, of course, except the dog, but there’s only three of us, so it’s a rather small ensemble. But what we lack in quantity we more than make up for in holiday cheer.

If Christmas isn’t a holiday that you celebrate, then happy whatever holiday you love most! In the end, the thing that makes a holiday season memorable is everything that surrounds it. It gives us permission to enjoy things that we might often take for granted. To smile a little more, hug a little more, and cherish timeless traditions with family and friends. If you live in a climate that requires a crackling fire, then things can get even a little bit more cozy. But no matter how you celebrate your favorite holiday, one thing remains the same. The very air around you is filled with hope and possibility. And, for me, this is that season. The one that makes me feel joy and happiness as I thrill to the sparkling lights and music. And though there may be lots of tinsel and ornaments, I know that’s only a small part of the experience. The real joy of your favorite holiday, isn’t the decorations, but the incredible feeling of love that always comes with all the trimmings.

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About the Doodlewash Da Vinci Paint Co.: Quinacridone Red, Quinacridone Gold, Terra Cotta, Leaf Green, and Ultramarine Blue.  Lamy Al-Star Safari Fountain Pen with sepia ink in an A5 Hahnemühle Watercolour Book.

Charlie O'Shields

Creator of Doodlewash, founder of World Watercolor Month (July), World Watercolor Group, and host of the Sketching Stuff Podcast. Sharing watercolor illustrations and stories while proudly featuring talented artists from all over the world!

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