Haul Out the Holly

We've been putting up our Christmas decorations this week and you've been totally enthralled with everything. This is the first year you've really been a part of the decorating process, and you've really enjoyed every minute. Utterances of "Oooooh...", "Wow!", and "Oh Mommy, it's SOOO pretty!" have been frequent. The tree seems to have a bit more decorations on the bottom half than the top, and I've tried my best to curb my perfectionist tendencies and have only moved a few of your interesting ornament placements. Some ornaments didn't make it to the tree - the 'Sleeping Beauty' ornament that plays Once Upon a Dream would be one of those for obvious reasons. I have to keep reminding you that ornaments belong on the tree, and you need to leave them alone.

This morning you put on your pouty face and I asked you what was wrong. You said, "We didn't decorate my room!" So we picked out a few decorations - a snowman family, a christmas bell, and the singing Elmo, Cookie Monster, and Oscar the Grouch on a sled - and decorated you room. You seem satisfied with the results.

We're really getting in the Christmas spirit around here. Between all the holiday displays at the different stores, to practicing for the Christmas Cantata (we've sung those songs so much you are learning to sing them!) we can't help ourselves. I've bought a few gifts already, and even wore my candy cane shirt once. We've watched the DVD of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer several times, and of course, Daddy insisted on playing all the Christmas music CDs while we were decorating. A lot of folks can't believe we're already doing all this, but we've always had a tradition of putting up our Christmas decorations as early as possible. Daddy and I actually went out and bought a Christmas tree on Halloween night the first year we were married and put it up that very night....the tradidtion has continued ever since. We always try to put up the tree and decorations as early in November as possible. Of course, with being in the pastorate now, it seems a little harder to get the time to "haul out the holly" as the song goes. Daddy hasn't gotten to the yard decorations yet, and the angel still needs to be put on the tree. Maybe tomorrow night.