Haven and Daddy geared up to chop down our very first Christmas tree. Daddy grabbed his saw and Haven his axe (it was actually a wooden toy pop gun but, shh ...).
I requested something small that I could keep on the table & away from little hands so I was pleasantly shocked at the 8 foot fir they drug in.
Haven decorated one candy cane at a time, running in and out of the kitchen in circles between each addition.
Colored lights, a cardboard star and 8 boxes of tinsel (which is not showing up in the photo but has shown up in pancake syrup, in my dishwasher, between sheets, in diapers and will be found I'm sure in such places come July) has made for a magnificent first Christmas tree.
It's shadow has seen countless toddler tribal-like celebratory dances and has been the inspiration for much happy squealing and light hand smacking.
Technically or traditionally, Catholics aren't supposed to get or decorate trees until Christmas day (I think) as Advent is a season of penance (lesser than lent but penitential nonetheless as we are dwelling on our longing for the Child. Think "O Come, O Come Emmanuel."
Pete has always talked big about how we would keep a tree bare until Christmas Eve, etc., etc. But you see, he drug that big tree in our home and the kid in him who stared in wonder at, well, definitely tinsel, went nuts. The rest I already mentioned.
And if you're one of my siblings you HAVE to watch this video of my sister's mother-in-law picking up her tree in Long Island (feel free to watch it even if you're not one of my siblings). It does contain a few naughty words so be warned.
1 comment:
I love this because it's so easy imagining Pete acting as you describe, though he would vigorously deny it if given the chance.
Still finding tinsel in the house? Once you let it in, that stuff never leaves.
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