decking our halls

I know that it's not even Thanksgiving, and usually we wait until then to put up the tree and other decorations but this year the girls were anxious and I certainly can't complain.

I love Christmas and all things having to do with Christmas. It doesn't bother me at all to put the tree up before Thanksgiving, to listen to Christmas music whenever I feel like it even if it's in September, to make Christmas cookies in October. Why wait, right?

So, I had Matt haul everything down from the attic on Friday morning and yesterday the girls and I got the tree up and part way decorated while Matt was at work. I hate that he has to work on Saturdays sometimes because he ends up having to miss out on things like this.

Anyway, the girls did a great job decorating the tree and they can't wait for me to find more for them to do. It's funny how they like to shove the little balls onto the tree- instead of using an ornament hanger they push the end of the branch through the tiny opening on the ornament so the balls all end up right on the ends of the branches instead of some on the outside and some in the center of the tree. I think it's cute, and hey, it works.

Aimee is very excited about the lights and glitter of Christmas this year. Last year she was still so little. Now she finally has more of a clue about what is going on.

This year I'd love to put up a second tree in the living room but for now we'll settle for the one in the front room, right in front of the window so all can see. With the two homes we've built I have insisted on having a floor plan that allows us to put our Christmas tree in the front window so that we and others can see it as we drive by. I love that.

The tree isn't perfect, there are tons of red balls clumped together and then clumps of green on other parts of the tree, multiple ornaments all on the same branch but the girls had fun and that's what matters, right?

We have family in town for Thanksgiving so I won't get to do much decorating right now but little by little things are coming out of boxes- Nutcrackers, the Little People nativity scene, the musical snow globes, all of the garlands and wreaths and other pretty and festive things. Oh, and I can't forget about the singing snowman with the little dog that pees on him as he sings "I'm dreaming of a white Christmas...and may all your Christmases be...dry- yeah, quite festive. I can't remember who gave that to us last year but the girls seem to be enjoying it and laugh and laugh and laugh. "Puppy wet on no-man" says Aimee as she laughs some more. Yeah, so very festive.

I love Christmas. It truly is the most wonderful time of the year.

Time to think about giving to others instead of just thinking about yourself, time to pull out the old Andy Williams Christmas cds, to listen to Karen Carpenter sing, drinking eggnog and making sugar cookies and fudge. I love it.