If hurricane-force winds mark the start of the holiday season for you, then welcome.

This week's mind-numbing chill makes me think winter might really take off this year.

But before the Dec 21st winter solstice comes marching in with a season's-worth of snow and cold, we have some holidays to prepare for.

The "official" start of the Christmas season is different for everyone.

For my pal Melanie (and me, a little), Christmas began its slow takeover two weeks ago during a wreath-making shindy up in Bangor. You remember when I went to Bangor, right?

Well it wasn't all pub crawls and Dysarts. We had some serious holiday magic going on. A little Martha Stewart action, if you will.

Melanie cut fresh boughs from the trees in the yard (and some from the neighbor's yard) and I learned how to make a wreath with the help of Melanie's gracious family.

I thought I'd hit the "my mom will die when she hears I did this" peak two years ago when I learned to knit AND made her a scarf for Christmas.

So yes, I can make wreaths with Melanie's mom and go out drinking and cursing afterward. I'm multidimensional like that.

But I digress.

Maybe the sight of the Christmas tree is Monument Square sends your sleigh bells ringing.

If so, you've been in holiday mode since last Wednesday when the holiday tree sat up from its truck-bed slumber to stand proudly over the shops and passersby in Monument Square.

[Avery was on-site for the tree installation: A tree rises in Monument Square. Interesting pics of the tree going up, and little-known tree facts like how it's actually installed in a manhole.]

Maybe you consider the lighting of said Christmas tree the starting gun for the holiday marathon. That way you can give Thanksgiving its due, instead of treating it like a forgotten stepchild, as most retail stores do. [FYI, the tree lighting is Friday.]

I've made the tree lighting a tradition for the last few years. It's always freezing and it's cheesy as all get-out. But a thermos of hot chocolate and amaretto brings peace and warmth to my soul (and it makes me hug everybody, including the mice from The Nutcracker who are usually in attendance). Then, of course, it's off to $3 Dewey's for Christmas in a bottle.

But truly, the Christmas countdown doesn't formally begin until the season's first firefighter-in-a-tree spotting.

I caught a brave fella atop a fire-engine ladder last week stringing Christmas lights. Looks like the holiday season found a welcome home at the 380 Congress Street Fire Station. (Sidenote to Santa: I said firefighter "under" the tree, not on top of it.)

Whatever marker you go with, I have only one request: pay some attention to Thanksgiving, too. Sure, there's no Thanksgiving tree with a Wii underneath wrapped in shiny paper and ribbon that you can pull off and wear on your head like a bright holiday crown. But Thanksgiving tries so hard every year, only to be trumped by retail store blowouts, craft fairs and puppy photo shoots with Santa.

Have a heart for the little guy. Let Thanksgiving ring this Thursday.