I do not have an aesthetic decorating bone in my body. I didn’t decorate any of my apartments all four years of college. My bedroom walls were completely bare. When one night stands would come over, they said it felt cold and sterile (just like me lol).

And then I moved to Chicago with Landon and Kaitlyn and I got to witness Landon have an aneurysm over just arranging the living room. He scoured Facebook marketplace for furniture and sent photo after photo of potential wall decor in the group chat. No matter what he sent, I’d reply “I don’t care” and I’d mean it every time.

And then as soon as October became November, he insisted we decorate for Christmas. We all donned Christmas hats and pajamas and we blasted Christmas music. We unearthed our Christmas tree from the basement and assembled it as a team meticulously fluffing the branches even on the side no one could see. We took turns hanging hundreds of ornaments making sure they all varied in shape and size without any of them looking as thought they didn’t belong. We filled our living room with lights and garland and the scent of the hot cider we were sipping on and we hung monogrammed stockings on the fireplace (with care). And at the end of the evening when we had finally finished, our apartment resembled a home straight out of a children’s Christmas book, one where the plot is about how important it is to believe in things. In exactly one day because of Landon’s persistence, our living room had been transformed from something very simple and functional and sufficient to something bright and inviting and exceptional, a place for us to be together and always be warm.

So I just wanted to say happy birthday, Landon. It is not lost on me that over these last nine years, you’ve had the exact same effect on my life. I love you. It is so much fun growing old(er) with you.