I am embarrassed to admit that on this 13th day of January, we still have our Christmas tree up. I'm going to go ahead and blame it on the fact that we only arrived home on the 7th and when we did finally get home, Sam immediately came down with (and was wiped out by) the H1N1 flu until after we missed the last Christmas tree pick up this past weekend. We've had a rough re-entry into reality after 10 days of vacation in California. We do have plans to get rid of it ASAP, but until then I will reminisce about the sweet days in early December when it was fresh, green, and signaled the start of another beautiful Christmas season.
Decorating the tree is absolutely one of my most favorite parts of the Christmas festivities. Actually, it's picking out a new ornament in preparation for the decorating that really tops my list. Being able to pick out a new ornament each year was a major highlight of my childhood and something I enjoy just as much as a parent watching the joy it brings my kids. I always love to see what they pick. It's a chance to peak into their brain and see what they consider the "most awesome" thing to be right now.
Ruby had no problem deciding on this Nutcracker. I'd read her the story so many times by that time that no pink, purple, or turquoise fluffy or frilly option was going to derail her insistence on selecting this wooden Nutcracker.
Max continued his bird themes streak for the third year in a row. In fact, he took one of the birds from a previous ornaments and put it in the nest of this little fellow so he wouldn't be lonely...that's just the kind of boy he is. (With different parents, I think this boy would definitely have a pet.)
Reed was thrilled when he found ornaments with the zodiac symbols on them. He was not thrilled, however, when he found that they were all in "girl" colors. Reed loves all things astronomy related and is especially fond of codes, symbols and especially the Chinese zodiac. It was too perfect not to get, so we decided to make it work by covering all the pink with green hot glue. I think he felt satisfied by the face lift.
This one might be my favorite. It is certainly the most appropriate for capturing the essence of my "on the go" girl.
She may not have been much for posing for picture, but she was sure eager to help with everything else--especially the lights.
As much as I love Christmas tree decorating, I don't actually end up doing much decorating at all--and that's just how I like it. Watching the kids dance around in eager excitement hanging their ornaments and reminiscing about their ornaments from years past is all I need to make it feel like the Christmas season has begun.
I've never been a "pretty tree" kind of person. We don't really have anything that matches or coordinates too well. What makes our tree beautiful to me is that each and every ornament has a memory or story attached to it from our life during the past 12 years or so.
Some ornaments--like this one (one of the first from my childhood) go back a little further.
Reed added the finishing touch with our star on top.
I think we all agreed this was our best tree yet. It was tall, full but not too wide, smelled great and looked like Christmas perfection glowing through our front window. I loved having it in our home, but with tomorrow marking one month until Valentine's Day I think I'm going to love it on the curb even more.
1 comment:
I also agree that was your prettiest tree. I wish they sold that type of tree here. I also enjoyed watching you guys select an ornament and decorate the tree. I meant to have you 3 go through the ornaments you 3 had collected and the ones Elaine gave you while you all were here altogether.
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