I really like Christmas. I’ve always known that. But I didn’t really realize how much I need it as well. Well, need might not be the right word. Maybe look forward to fits better.

I didn’t know how much I looked forward to Christmas until this year. Growing up, my family did not celebrate Christmas. It’s one of those things I missed like wanting to believe in Santa Claus. I can remember one year me and my sister sat around the chimney pretending there was a Santa Claus. At least I think that happened. Maybe I dreamt it.

Anyhoo, I was talking about this with my dentist a couple of weeks ago. He mentioned a Hindu family friend who celebrates it. For them it’s not a religious holiday but they are filled with the Christmas spirit. They enjoy the giving, the family time, the food, and just all the general happiness that comes around this time of year. That’s what I look forward to as well.

Well, one weekday, during the first week in December, I woke up grumpy. I was plain unhappy and I couldn’t pinpoint why. Alan asked me what was wrong and I just kept wailing, I don’t know. Then he suggested we go pick up our Christmas tree and I perked right up. That’s what was wrong. We didn’t get our tree the weekend before and I was expecting it so I was off balance. Is that weird?

Alan brought us to a cut your own Christmas tree farm! We usually buy them precut. We’ve never gone to a cut one on your own farm. That’s what all the above pictures are from. I was really excited to cut a tree, er to have Alan cut a tree, but Isabelle didn’t want to cut any trees. We trudged all over that little farm trying to find a Christmas tree. But all the types we liked were too small. They still had some growing to do. The only tall ones were wispy feathery trees, not what we think of as Christmas trees. So, we headed out and then Isabelle got all upset and wanted to cut a tree. She didn’t want to leave empty handed. But empty handed we were and I was back to a grump that day.

It was a really bad day, really, really bad. It ended with a dresser falling down and miraculously not falling on any of the kids. Isabelle was trapped with her leg in a drawer but a stuffed plush chair saved her from being horribly smooshed. I cannot believe she wasn’t hurt. It was the most terrifying thing, hearing the dresser fall with a deafening crash, rushing through the door, and seeing that downed dresser with Isabelle underneath. Alan came home right away from work and spent the rest of the night bolting it and the bookshelves to the wall…don’t ask me why they weren’t before. And it really put everything in perspective. It was silly me being a grump over something so small compared to what could have happened. Who needs stinking Christmas trees.

Isabelle still brings it up how many weeks later. She says, do you remember when my foot was stuck and you were screaming and crying?

And back to what I was saying before I went off on that tangent, a Christmas tree. Sure we don’t need a Christmas tree but it sure does make me happy. So, a couple of days after our horrible day we went to get our Christmas tree…again. This time just a regular precut one. It makes the house smell so good. And that’s why I have soooo many photos of us at a Christmas tree lot.

Another thing we did twice of, attempting to see Santa. I especially love how magical Santa is for Isabelle. That for her, there is this jolly man who lives in the North Pole who loves her and magically visits on Christmas to give her a gift. It’s just fun. Santa even sent her a video this year.

And Isabelle was so excited when we told her that Santa was making a special trip down from the North Pole and he’d be at the mall. She didn’t even mind that we went twice to try to see him. The first time, we went a week before Christmas and it was jam packed. We thought, oh a weekday surely would be less busy so let’s come back.

We tried again but nope. If anything the line was even longer! We waited over two hours to see Santa. We didn’t wait anywhere that long last year. But Isabelle didn’t mind. And she was not shy at all. If you saw the photo with Santa, you can see she was super happy to see Santa. Nathan not so much. And Christmas morning when she saw Santa had taken a bite of the cookie she made him…that was priceless.

Yes, I truly love all the little rituals that come with Christmas. After we got our tree, the next day I made pumpkin muffins while the kids helped Alan decorate the tree. Well, honestly, Isabelle helped while Nathan “helped”.

Alan was being silly. Every single picture of him decorating the tree looked just like this.

He would not stop making that face.

So, yes, we will have our Christmas tree up, with all the lights on, until after the new year. And our outside holiday lights as well (it’s the first year we put lights up outside). In fact, I was actually putting on more Christmas ornaments after Christmas! Yep. They were new shatterproof ones (how did I not know they had shatterproof ornaments?!) and I just had to see how they looked up. And I may or may not have been listening to Christmas music on the drive home from the kids’ ophthalmology appointment today. Ok sooooo may.

I was so happy that while skyping my sister, I happily showed her our tree. I think her husband said, eew tacky tree. And my sister went off on the commercialism of Christmas or something. We choose to focus on the love in the holiday and spending it with friends and family. And I am glad we celebrate Christmas. I do so adore it (as if you couldn’t tell from this super long post).

Oh and in case I do not come back on before the new year, HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE! HAVE FUN AND BE SAFE!