I've always found it fascinating the way our minds can tie certain smells and sights into particular memories. Even instances in which we can't recall the entire memory, our minds still take us back to that time and in many cases, we remember it fondly. One of the most prominent smells that my mind coincides with a particular memory is that of Christmas.
Several days ago, I was on a walk with my dog Angel in the evening. While it's true we don't have too many "winter" qualities in Southern California, it does get fairly chilly in the evenings and on occasion families will have a fire burning. I've never been sure if there is a particular firewood that gives off the smell I associate with Christmas, but it is very distinct. During the walk, as the smell wafted through my nose, I was immediately transported back to my grandparent's house in Pasadena. For Christmas, my small, but close-knit family would come together with grandma and grandpa and celebrate with food and gifts. Presents under the little fake Christmas tree, cookies and milk at the table waiting for Santa to arrive marked just a few of the memories that popped into my head. I can remember as if it were yesterday, walking through the Pasadena neighborhood with distinct smell of fireplaces burning and thinking, "this is Christmas".
More than anything, I suppose, it's the association of sights and smells with good times. The smell of pumpkin pie brings me back to Thanksgiving and helping my grandma make pies from scratch. A candy apple, reminds me of Halloween, when my friend went back to the same house twice, in different baseball jerseys to get additional apples. Or the roar of an engine and the looks my grandpa and I used to get pulling up alongside another car in his Ferrari converted from a Datsun. Good smells, good memories, good times.
