I woke up with the excitement of a child swirling inside my heart. It was Christmas morning and the house was silent: My husband and two pups still lay sleeping beside me and in nearby beds. It didn’t take long, however, for my not-so- quiet shuffling to stir the family- We had presents to open! We had cinnamon rolls to make! I shrieked with elation as I skipped down the stairs.

Our kitchen table was lined with clean wine glasses, while my great-uncle’s China filled the drying rack. The night before had been a lovely display of new traditions, shared with friends, and while my husband and I learned that hosting was a lot of work we were truly happy to not have to drive anywhere at the end of the night, but could crawl up to our beds and crash when deemed appropriate.

We took our time opening presents, stealing bites of icing-covered buns between unwrapping, tapping our toes in time to Dean Martin’s Christmas hits on our Sonos player. Gifts covered our floor space and they all seemed to contribute to goals we had set for ourselves: I bought my husband Italian Language audio CD’s to play during his everyday 1.5 hour work commute, and flashcard stocking stuffers for us to sift through at home. I got him a Fitbit Blaze watch for fitness competitions (He bought me one for my birthday) and together we pooled our money to finish out our home gym.

Mike bought me a beautiful Herschel workout bag, new journals and books, an adorable  Out of Print library mug, and my very own Crosley record player! He even purchased my first vinyl, a Sinatra classic- which brought tears to my eyes. The idea of a record player pays tribute an earlier time, when people enjoyed music together, in one place, as more of an event.The gesture touched my old-Italian soul; I felt my grandmother’s spirit alive in the room as my husband showed me how to work the player needle.

I love that we both inspire each other, push each other toward our goals and pull each other back when we need to rest. Mike and I listened to our new record, sipped our coffee until the songs and liquids ran out. We then moved to the living room sofa to carry out the rest of our Christmas day- Writing, watching movies, lounging in blankets and sweatpants.

Our first Christmas as a married couple was perfect: After having a whirlwind of a year, separating and joining in continuum, we finally were able to unwind together in the laziest, most leisurely way.

Merry Christmas, everyone.