Ho Ho Ho! It's that special time of year again. The one that begins with a Merry (or Happy) and ends with a hangover. This was the Fourth official Cronin Decorate the Tree Party and boy was it rocking! Most of you may know how it works here in Brooklyn, but to sum it up again.....

It all began on a snowy day 5 years ago when my roommate (at the time) Joaquin Torres saw a bright star that guided him home and it was here that the immaculate conception occurred. How could two guys that live together conceive a child? It was the miracle of modern day science mixed with the oracle that had been lurking over our heads for centuries. So to celebrate the coming of the miracle child we traveled far in the deep snow and found the tree that the brightest star was shinning over. We cut it down without any thought about its feelings and we brought it home to dress it it up with lights, colorful balls and ribbons, but it was missing something very important. - THE Ornaments. So we decided to ask all of our friends to come over and decorate the tree properly. The people came from far and wide and each brought ornaments of gold, "frank"-in-sense, and mir. The ornaments all home-made sprouted a competition and this is the tradition. Come to our house, bring a homemade ornament for the tree, drink my homemade egg-nog, and sit by the fireplace praising the coming of the miracle baby*.