Getting Ready for Christmas

Today is the perfect day to write this blog because it snowed last night and it stuck around for the morning! Gizmo loves the snow more than little else. So we went on a long walk this morning. He played in the snow, sniffed for things buried under a blanket of white, and I slid on the ice as he pulled faster and faster to get across the street to the next patch of snow.

In our house getting ready for Christmas consists of three types of communication. Singing, Bargaining, and Questioning. The tree seems to be the center of these conversations, at least for one night.

We always listen to Christmas Carols while we set up the tree and without fail one of us usually ends up singing along.

This year the bargaining began early - at Home Depot in fact. I arrived first and decided a 6-7 ft. Fraser Fur would be perfect. The price was very affordable and there were lots of trees to choose from. Mark went right to the 11-12ft trees, and the bargaining began. "Whoa..those are a hundred bucks honey!" I said as I quickly pointed out the price tag.We ended up with one of the tallest trees in the 9-10 ft section. It makes more sense than a 6ft one since our ceiling are 15 ft high and it was almost half the price of a the 11-12ft trees. Next was the star bargaining. I had bought a new star that plugs into the lights so it only made sense to put that on first and then wind the lights down the tree with

the star acting as an anchor. "Everyone knows the star is the last thing you put on the tree." Mark kindly reminded me. We ended up putting the star on first, but didn't turn on the lights until every other ornament was on the tree. Speaking of lights... don't you just love the beautiful simplicity of white lights with gold ribbon and elegant ornaments? Me too! Our tree has colored lights. Mark got his colored lights that we turn on each evening, but I got my ribbon and elegant ornaments to enjoy during the day. Bargain successful!

The last communication type? Questioning. My parents left presents here when they came out last week for Thanksgiving. As we put them under our beautiful/cute tree we quizzed each other on if our spouse knew what the wrapped gifts were. Then of course there are the "What do you want" questions and the "Is it a ____" question when a new gift appears under the tree.

Having a home has been wonderful while decorating for Christmas. We don't have many decorations and we aren't spending our money in that area right now, but having a house does allow us to have lights on the roof, a big beautiful tree, a fun new wreath, and now our stockings are hung by the chimney with care. Love it! My goal is that over the next few years I can have a wonderful set of cheery and classy Christmas decorations. I hope to build it piece by small piece when Hobby Lobby and other stores put their items on sale at the end of each season. Until then I am happy with the big poinsettia my mother bought me, our stockings, my Hummel nativity, and our windmill nativity.

This is our favorite time of the year and hopefully everyone else is finding joy in the Christmas season too!