Making Christmas

We have discovered that since things actually grow out here all by themselves, Christmas trees are way cheaper! Thus, this is the most lovely tree we've had in our five years of marriage and I'm just eating it up. Oh the piney goodness!

There are a few things that make our tree ready for Christmas and these are adhered to faithfully. Of course it must be a live tree. Then, we always use blue lights, like I had growing up. It reminds me of starlight on snow, and who doesn't want to be reminded of that? Silent night sung on Christmas eve requires a blue-light tree and nothing else will do.

Next, there must be sparkles. Growing up, our tree had tiny stuffed felt kittens with sequin eyes, and my favorite ornament was a glitter covered snowflake. My hope over the next few years is to slowly work towards a largely hand-made tree, with all the ornaments crafted by the kids and me. With lots of sparkles. We have ice-flocked branches and glittery icicles.
Finally, we have a poinsettia "star."

We also have a little Christmas village started thanks to Grandma Toone. I was always enthralled with these little houses when I was tiny, and my girls love them just as much. This year I will miss the little chapel of my mom's with it's real steeple bell and it's twist up key that played Silent Night.

So Christmas is in full swing at our house. I'm sure yours is shaping up to be just as lovely and I hope it's full of happy memories of Christmases passed and new memories to be made.