O Christmas Tree

I broke down today and finally gave into setting up the cheap ten-year old artificial tree that I hate...and have hated ever since we bought it.  For the past two, or maybe even three years, we have cut our own...but our busy schedule,the frigid temps and 6+ inches of snow have made getting a real tree an improbable dream this year.  Besides, there are 7 days until Christmas...my poor children need a Christmas tree.

So, Jut had an elders meeting tonight.  After supper, he hauled my box of decorations up the stairs and left for his meeting.  I finished the dishes while the kids very impatiently waited for the unveiling of the tree.

X was worried that Santa wouldn't deliver presents to a small, fake tree.  E thought she was going to be taller than the tree and didn't know if it would 'count' as a tree.  C was just his manic little self climbing on the boxes and doing his best to cause confusion and delay.

Dishes finally get finished and I begin to assemble the tree.  The kids watch in awe realizing that it wasn't going to be a 3-foot tiny tree.  The excitement keeps mounting.  Thankfully, they had a book with the figurines to play with inside the ornament box.  So, while I fiddle with the tree, E reads the Christmas story to the boys several times and then they play with the figurines.  So, I wind lights around it and the kids start bouncing around with all their energy.  I finally take the lid off of the ornament box and they dove in.  Thankfully only one of the halmark ornaments took the brunt of all the enthusiasm...and a little superglue should make it an unnoticeable blemish.  However, I did feel a little crazy trying to pass out 'safe' ornaments while trying to keep the 'breakables' out the reach of little hands.  They can certainly hang up ornaments faster than I can find and unpackage ornaments.

Finally, the tree was 'done'.  I need to redistribute a few ornaments.  The top 8 inches is empty and I have some cheap glass bulbs to add along with a nativity scene and tree skirt.

It is amazing how some lights, a few ornaments and Christmas music can take a 'Charlie Brown' tree and turn it into a thing of beauty.  The kids didn't care how pathetic that little tree is...they were in awe of their creation.  They spent the rest of the evening playing 'Santa' filing their stockings with 'surprises'.  I don't know why I always hate that tree so much in the box.  It is a thing of beauty once it is decorated...and the kids just will remember the fun of decorating the tree anyway.  It is a beautiful little tree, even if it only has unbreakable, mostly hand-crafted ornaments.  Christmas is magical, isn't it?!