Happy Holidays from Team Trench.

Jacob: My staff picks this year are the Anchorage Overcoat, the Wool Fair Isle Scarf and the Wool O.E. Cap. I'm excited to share my holiday tradition, though: JOLABOKAFLOD. We embraced this as a family tradition four or five years ago.  My wife wants our children to be surrounded by books and will take any opportunity she has to plug a new book.  Jolabokaflod is an Icelandic holiday where participants give eachother books.  We do a little book exchange and share a Christmas Eve pie.  Then we sit and read together.  No phones, no screens.  We sit and read.  Quietly.  It’s a beautiful thing – if I did have my phone on me I’d record every second.

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Sulai: Grey Wool Fleece Jacket | Tiger O.E. Pants | Burgundy Every Day Crewneck. I'm not much for desserts, but my sister makes chocolate pecan bites that I can't stop eating during the holidays. It's the chocolate pecan pie that's made in mini muffin tins – you eat them like popcorn until your eyes glaze over. Then you legally have to lay down for a nap. For my, Christmas day is all about NBA basketball. 5 games on TV – and after all the pecan bites I park it on the couch and fade in and out of consciousness as my Sixers vanquish all foes. Trust the process. 

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Tomie: Natural Shaker Stitch Cardigan | White Interlock Tee. SOUL FOOD !! Always soul food around this time of year. If I had to pick anything specific it would have to be a good ol' mac and cheese & pound cake. As for holiday traditions... I wouldn't call this a tradition but just for background ambiance I am always playing The Polar Express or A Christmas Story, back to back. Also, Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas" is on blast – obviously. 

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Mark: Shaker Stitch Turtleneck | Flat Front Trouser Camel Hair Overshirt. Struffoli. Who even knows if this is a true Christmas dish? My extremely Italian grandmother used to wake up at the crack of dawn to roll these little balls of dough by hand and drench them in the best honey she could find. The dish lives on a little side table throughout the family gathering until it disappears, every year. For my family, Christmas is the holiday no one misses. It’s always at my parents’ house (food, music, laughs – everything's ideal there) and people seem to just pour in throughout the day. Siblings, cousins, aunts, and uncles are all there on time and before I know it, neighbors, old friends, bosses, and even the mailman are walking in the house. Our door stays open. 

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Liz: Wool Fleece | Fair Isle Beanie | Fair Isle Scarf. It may not be the first thing people think of around the holidays, but I always look forward to the shrimp wrapped in bacon we have at our gathering. It’s the only time of year my mom turns the oven on. As for traditions, Getting the christmas tree decorated is an all day affair at our household, with holiday movies playing in the background and espresso martinis in hand. We have enough ornaments for three trees and somehow we manage to get them all onto one every year. 

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Brian: O.E. Marshal Weight Tee | O.E. Double Knee | Varsity Jacket. My sister makes this coffee cake that’s a no-miss classic. You have to heat it up a little on Christmas morning – I’m a sucker for melted chocolate. I also enjoy Eggnog, so you know I have no taste. Growing up we’d always rip “It’s a Wonderful Life” on DVD on Christmas Eve. I feel like this movie’s become more popular in the past few years and for good reason – anything that’s heavy handed on the gratitude is like a haymaker to your heartstrings around the holidays – “There’s never a poor man who has friends!” 

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Joe: American Peacoat | Flat Front Trouser | Merino Turtleneck. Stuffed Shells. It's like an Italian pierogi with entirely too much cheese. What could be better than that? We’ve started doing a white elephant gift exchange in recent years which has been a nice way to switch things up. After that we typically wrap up with some christmas cocktails and a movie, which always seems to end up being Elf. 

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Tembisa: Marled Shaker Cardigan | Merino Turtleneck. Just about anything my mom makes during the holidays—buttery green beans, wild rice, gammon, the lot—but my all time favorite is baked cinnamon sugar sweet potatoes. I could eat it every day forever. My family has been strewn across the globe for most of my adult life, so it’s rare we’re all together—but when we all manage to get on the same continent, my sister, my mom, and I get to hang in the kitchen and listen to Christmas music as we cook. My mom usually captains that ship, but my sister and I can peel a pretty mean potato. 

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Sami: Anchorage Overcoat | Marled Cotton Sweater | Slow Weave Oxford | Moleskin Five Pocket Pant. There are a bunch of classics to choose from but my mother makes a whole host of cookies during the holidays and my absolute favorite is shortbread. Cozying up on the couch with espresso or cranberry tea and warm buttery shortbread and slippers is a special type of comfort. We love old movies during the holidays and while I love stuffing myself full of cheesy Hallmark marathons, sitting down to classics with my parents is always a really nice time. We love Cary Grant and one of our favorites is The Bishop’s Wife. Sweaters and Sinatra indoors all winter for us. 

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Nicole: O.E. Chore Coat | Donegal Sweater | Cashmere Double Knit Beanie & Scarf.
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