In years past, we have been that crazy family who sets up their tree right after Halloween. We LOVE our tree! The light it offers is ambient, the stories that accompany the ornaments are heartening, and the sparkle the tree adds so soon after Daylight Savings gives us an uplift that can’t be found elsewhere. This year, our tree tradition had to wait as we hosted Thanksgiving, so as soon as the smell of turkey had vacated the premises, Bradley was sent out to the garage to retrieve the crates of Christmas decor that will accompany us during these long, dark, winter nights.

This year, everyone had to help ‘fluff’ the tree. I was grateful because usually that unpleasant task falls to me and I come out looking like I went blackberry picking with all the scratches up my arms!

We used to be tried and true ‘real’ tree buyers for years. Then one year we were looking for a tree for DAYS. We couldn’t find one at a farm and were having a hard time with the thought that not only were we killing a perfectly good tree, we (college students at the time) were looking at spending 70.00 on a decoration that we were going to throw out in less than 30 days. So we bought this little number at Fred Meyer that year for a little over 100.00. Since then, she’s been a part of our every Christmas celebration and we don’t have to worry about needles falling off, fires starting, watering or anything, plus we can put it up on November 1st! It’s nice.

This year Gigi was terribly excited to put up the tree. As soon as she got the go ahead, she found the box of ‘her’ ornaments and started hanging them on. Each year we buy an ornament or two for our kids so that when they grow up and leave us they will have a set of ornaments to take with them. Naturally, those special ornaments ALL belong on the tree in the VERY FRONT. No exceptions. And when I would request a move of a large LARGE ornament to a less conspicuous place, my request was met with suspicion. So our tree is full full FULL of many MANY ornaments!

Jude’s ornaments all went in the same spot. He had a few key pieces that he wanted to hang all from one branch: his guitar, robots and rockets are clustered together like cherries hanging from a branch. He returns often to vroom the rockest through the air, strum the guitar and battle the robots against one another. It’s pretty cute, but it remains to be seen whether or not the ornaments will make it through the season.

And finally, the kids in front of the finished tree. Awww! Happiness and peace to you all as we enter this special time of year!


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