Magic can be found anywhere; you just have to know where to look for it.  It’s like that cloud with the silver lining.  It is even there for the pessimist, if they are willing to shift their view slightly and open their mind to the possibility.  New York at holiday time is a perfect example.

Sure you can focus on the negative – the plethora of people jam packed between the cement barriers lining the street and the storefronts in Times Square…don’t kid yourself, it is worse than being a sardine in a can.  The sardines don’t talk loudly and rudely to each other, pushing one another out of the way with a snubbed shoulder and handfuls of overstuffed shopping bags.  Or, the wind which whips between the high-rise buildings, cutting through the cross streets and swirling your hair into your excessively watery eyes, so you can’t really make out where you are headed; and, if that wasn’t enough, now your nose is running, which you can’t do anything about because you were afraid you might lose a finger to frostbite, so you’ve stuffed your hand into mittens that are now a hindrance, not a help.  Or, maybe you consider the constant symphony of slightly off-key horns from the lines of cars behind each traffic light, literally going nowhere at a 10 minute per block crawl; and, trying to inch through the swarms of pedestrians that feel the blinking “do not walk” warning signs apply to everyone but them.

Truth be told, my most shameful moment took place in line at a Manhattan McDonald’s featuring a bad-mannered woman that was able to tip the scales of my usually patient and considerate manner, causing me to snap back with a snippy rude comment.  Totally not my nature – and almost 10 years later, I am still ashamed I let her knock me off kilter.

No, let’s not focus on the negative.  It’s too easy to be swept away by the anger, sadness and frustration that surround us every day; so, instead, I let’s do our best to focus on the magic.

The hopeful romantic possibility of someone unwearyingly waiting on top of the Empire State Building for the chance their soul mate will arrive in a few short moments or the blocks of light-hearted smiles and twinkling eyes lining the streets, waiting to catch a glimpse of Santa in his sleigh at the end of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, those are the moments that are worth their weight in gold.  You just have to believe.

Maybe it’s the way that Hollywood reminds us how beautiful and magic New York can be during the holidays.  The bags of mail being carried into the courtroom, signifying that Kris might possibly be the actual Man with the Bag in “Miracle on 34^th Street;” or, Macaulay Culkin befriending the crazy pigeon lady in Central Park in “Home Alone 2” and restoring our faith in humankind.  Let us not forget “When Harry Met Sally” or “Serendipity,” that tease us with the notion that over the holidays, even true love has a better chance of finding its way through the billions of hearts all over the world, just waiting to find their one and only.  If but for a short moment, we are all 6 year old children that believe that miracles of the greatest kind are not only possible, but likely.

Heck, New York is almost begging to be the backdrop of Christmas.  “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” might not be talking about angels from the area named after the New York Herald (though I have to wonder if the old newspaper ever tried to use that for a marketing campaign over Christmas time), but New York sights actually seem set up to warm the coldest of hearts over the holidays.  I challenge anyone to stare up at the Rockefeller Center tree and not embrace all the feelings of “the most wonderful time of the year.”  The sparkling Tiffany snowflake, the horse carriages trotting through Central Park, the decorated 5^th Avenue store windows, the holiday markets, Wollman outdoor skating rink, the Christmas Spectacular show at Radio City Music Hall… It’s all right there, glittering in full force along with the bright lights of Broadway!

This is certainly one of my favorite times of year and it’s all because the weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas exude hope, friendship and love.  Yes, as the Jewish girl who owns 9 Christmas trees, my heart screams, “bring on the Christmas lights!”  Believe!  I try to carry that along all year long, but it feels that this time of year there are a lot more folks willing to join me on that journey.  And, that is truly the most excellent proof that magic exists of all.  #50WeeksTo50