When I think of Christmas, I think of the warmth and good cheer of the holiday season. Whether it’s curling up in front of the fire with a mug of hot cocoa, or layering up in cold-weather gear and tromping through the snow looking for the perfect evergreen – I love it all. You can’t beat the warm, cozy feeling you get from spending time with the ones you care about. And there’s even a certain charm about the body heat generated from being shoulder to shoulder with fellow shoppers as everyone scrambles to get last- minute gifts for friends and family.

OK, I’m not truly a fan of this last one, but you get the picture. The warmth comes from togetherness, and the spirit of giving.

There is one kind of warmth that I don’t associate with this most festive of holidays: the heat of the sun. At least not here in upstate New York. (I’ve done the holidays in warmer climes, and it’s just not the same.)

This week, as I’ve looked out on a string of beautiful, sunny days, Christmas feels so far away.

And it should, since it’s only mid-November.

That fact seems to have escaped some people, though. Our local municipalities started putting up their holiday wreaths and banners weeks ago, before the last remnants of Halloween shaving cream had even dissipated. Santa’s igloo is already up in West Park, for goodness sake!