The Scenter of the Universe

The boys and I went to "The Scenter of the Universe" aka The Yankee Candle Flagship store on Wednesday. Besides having every warm candle scent you could imagine, they had the most magical Christmas shop. The Christmas Shop included a room where snow falls, a fudge shoppe with the most delicious flavors of fresh fudge, Mrs. Claus bakery with a hot chocolate stand, model trains and Christmas villages, Santa's workshop/toy store, etc. The place captured all the wonder and magic of the cultural Christmas. We were all like "tiny tots, with our eyes all aglow".

One tiny tot with delicious rosy cheeks
James' cheeks were so rosy, the picture does not do them justice

Daniel in the snow

Santa's workshop with the countdown-to-Christmas clock

I bought 4 tea light candles, two that smell like a pine wreath (we have a fake tree, but now our house will smell like we have a real one) and two cinnamon. I put them on my mantle and now I smell Christmas every time I walk past them...mmmmm.

Daniel got to dip his own candles

While we were perussing the European Christmas shoppe, I found a Christmas tree covered in green pickle ornaments. I thought they looked so ugly and wondered who would ever buy one of those and actually put it on their tree. Then I read the sign. Apparently it is a German tradition to have the parents hide a green pickle ornament on the Christmas tree after the children go to bed on Christmas Eve. The child who finds the pickle on Christmas morning gets a special treat. I thought that was a fun idea, and since our last name is Hahn (German for rooster), I thought that would be a fun family tradition. So, I bought one of those ugly pickles and I'm going to put in on my tree this year...hidden of coarse.

Finally, as I was leaving with two tired children (the place was a two hour drive for us and we stayed a while), a man approached me and asked if he could interview me for a company commercial. I looked at him a little puzzled because I had two whiny kids and one had snot running from nose to mouth, but consented. I mean, everyone dreams about being on TV right? I had a mic and everything. They thought it would be cute to have the two kids with me. I held James and Daniel hugged my leg. The interview went something like this

Take One

Interviewer: "Why do you buy Yankee Candles?"

Crash, bang, clang (Daniel was not hugging my leg anymore, he was playing with the display)

Videographer: "Besides the products being so durable"

Take Two

Interviewer: "Why do you buy Yankee Candles?"

Me: "The scents of Yankee Candles help bring back warm memories from my childhood and hopefully will be a part of my children's childhood memories."

At this point I am lieing through my teeth. I have never bought a Yankee Candle ever (I hadn't checked out yet with my four puny candles). I own one because someone gave it to me, but it is the "cranberry chutney" scent. I have no cranberry chutney memories from my childhood. I lied and embellished on the other three questions as well. I said what the interviewer wanted to hear (maybe I should be a politician). At least we looked cute on the video...the boys that is...runny nose and all.

Sorry this is such a long post. I need to write it down so we can all remember it...fragrance free.