The Perfect Tree

A couple of weeks ago, we went on our annual Christmas tree hunt with our friends Steve and Rene. I was actually worried there wouldn't be any snow, but the minute we left home, God provided a lovely snowfall for us! (Ok maybe not exactly lovely for the driving part!)

After 10 years (wow!) of Christmas tree hunting with the Lowells, I finally got around to bringing a sled to pull around the little one...instead of me holding the youngest, carrying them around, pulling them out of snow, finding lost mittens....you get the idea! Maezie was not very happy with the idea of cold snow and freezing air, but she managed to tolerate it when big sister got on the sled to hold her tight.

Maezie decided she liked the car much better!

Graeson went into the woods with Rene, Steve, and Daddy and apparently had quite the adventure with some kind of critter hole he found. He decided he would "protect" them, so he made an even bigger mound of snow around their hole! Then later, the sledding was fun too!

Bryan somehow missed packing his own coat, so he became the Abominable Beaver!

The kids and Rene had a snowball fight....looks like Rene is winning!

At home the next night, we decorated the tree with lights and ornaments. For me, the fun of the ornaments is remembering where each one came from (and sometimes even WHO it came from) and what we were doing at that point in our lives. Admittedly, I get a little wistful with the "Our First Christmas Together" ornaments, and I have fond memories of tiny bundles of joy with the "Baby's First Christmas" ornaments. And now we are moving into the "I made this for you at school" ornaments.

The kids also get to have their own little tree, and a lot of homemade or special ornaments (the non-breakable kind) go on their tree. We tried lights but it just didn't work!

I do wonder at times where this tree decorating tradition actually originated! There are so many Christmas rituals that we do that no one seems to know how they got started. Last year, we started our own ritual and turned off all the lights, including the ones on the tree, and talked about the darkness that was present before God created light. When the lights are then plugged in, and the room becomes illuminated, we talk about Jesus is the light of the world. This ritual was apparently so meaningful last year, that Graeson immediately asked for it again this year. How inspiring it is to see Christmas through a child's eyes!