Tradition #1 Pick out a live tree. Usually we cut down a tree from a tree farm. This year, however, that was not possible. We decided to decorate early since James' parents were here for Thanksgiving and we will be gone for Christmas. We wanted to put the tree up early and enjoy it for a while. Since we put it up before Thanksgiving, Santa's Tree Farm wasn't open. We drove by a few places to price trees. The ones at Earl May were $75! Luckily Home Depot had nice trees for about $17. Here is our tree before we took it inside:
James & Asa putting the star on top:
The finished product:
We've had a bit of trouble with our tree since we have two little ones. Judah likes to pull the ornaments off. He is usually fine but for a while every day he gets it in his head that he needs to play with all the ornaments. I'm afraid to put presents under the tree. Who knows what he will do with them! The other problem with the tree is related to the cat we're watching. He's been eating the icicles (those little silver stringy things). James found a hairball laced with icicles and I saw Baby eating some more today. I hope he doesn't die!
Tradition #2 Drive around and look at Christmas lights. This exciting event took place just this evening. Asa wanted to get into his jammies for the ride in the van. We made popcorn and brewed some coffee and drove to a neighboring community known as Lakewood. It's a fancy neighborhood and a lot of folks hire people to put up their lights so they look really good. Asa was happy to point out all the lights. He said, "Look, there Christmas lights on that house." I'm not sure that Judah enjoyed much other than the popcorn on our little trip. While we drove we listened to one of the Point of Grace Christmas albums. Suddenly Asa said, "Oh I love this song!" and then sang, "Joy, joy, joy!" I was impressed that he knew that song; it's also one of James' favorites. Then Asa said, "Junior sing it." Oh, it's one of the Veggie Tales Christmas songs! Now I understand how he knows that song.
There will be more traditions to come, we just haven't done more Christmassy stuff yet. The fun has only just begun!
If you go look at the Plaza lights you have to drive home on Ward Parkway. There's lots of cool houses and usually there's a street where every house is lit up! christina s.
ReplyDeleteThat's funny, James wanted to go down Ward Parkway. It was already 7:00 when we left and I said there wasn't time.
ReplyDeleteWant to know how crazy we are? Sam and I usually set up for Christmas on November 1st. Yeah, the day after Halloween. My parents nixed that one when we suggested it this year. They think we're nuts. But we just love Christmas so much that we want it to last as long as possible. So all this is to say, we've never done a live tree (they don't last that long). My poor kids have only ever had a fake one!
ReplyDeleteps. We have the same ornament problem, too! One year we only decorated the top half of the tree because I just wasn't up for the fight. Kids. Gotta love em. :)