The Time is Near

I was unplugging the Christmas tree lights the other night and realized I haven’t spent nearly enough time just enjoying the sparkle.

We put our tree up the first weekend of December. I water the tree twice a day, my son and I play beside it (and we pull him back as he goes to eat the lights or pull the balls off) but somehow the days of December have flown by without me simply sitting by the tree and enjoying the view.

I love Christmas. I don’t love how the holiday comes – and then leaves – so quickly. It’s Dec. 22. I have only watched three Christmas movies and listened to my CDs on my IPod a dozen or so times. I have done some baking, but not enough. I have done some wrapping, but love to do more.

There needs to be more time to simply enjoy the lead up to Christmas and then more time to enjoy it after the one day.

I think everyone should be off four days after Christmas so there is time to look at the tree, enjoy your gifts, visit with family and friends and feel the peace of the season.

Merry Christmas, everyone.

Hello Tree

It’s starting to look like Christmas at our house.

We went Christmas tree hunting today. Sadly there was no snow this year, which made it less festive but easier to cut the tree and lug it back to the car.

We went to a different tree farm this year. The farm was a little closer to home and it offered complimentary hot cider AND hot chocolate. However, the wagon ride didn’t start until after we walked the majority of the farm and we had a hard time finding the perfect tree so we’ll return to the usual spot next year.

We walked for a while, up hills, over rope, down hills, across field until finally my son and I played, while Daddy scouted out some trees further back.
He found one, which we all liked and now it’s in our living room, awaiting lights and decorations.

I love decorating the Christmas tree.

I love pulling out the ornaments I have had since I was our son’s age, looking at them again and placing them in key tree spots.

While a number of my friends like the look of a store-decorated tree, where ornaments match and are placed strategically in specific spots, I like the I-can-tell-it-was-decorated-by-non-professionals tree - ornaments that were bought with love and placed on the tree the same way.

Hello to the continuation of Christmas.