So not this weekend but last, we bought and decorated our Christmas tree. Sorry I’m a little behind with the what’s what this month, but that’s what happens around holiday time, right RMT’ers?
T wants THIS TREE!
T as he is every season was very eager to get our tree. We usually get one Thanksgiving weekend, but with that being so early this year (as in, the earliest it can fall I think or close to it), we postponed to the following weekend. We were going to go on C’s 9-80 Friday off, but of course it had to rain, delaying us yet one more day to T’s dismay. Now I know, many people all around this country (world) of ours shops for their tree in inclement weather, but see, the beauty of living here in Southern California is that we don’t have to! We can just wait a day or two and all’s OK to head back outside again. Yes, again, we’re weather wusses, and we’re proud of it.
This was the tree we eventually got. T loves it!
We got our tree this season at Lowe’s. We sort-of seem to alternate between Home Depot or Lowe’s depending where we are in town and what’s closest to us I think it how it usually works out. And while we very much enjoy shopping local and small business whenever we can, I am sorry but we don’t need to pay three times as much for the same locally-grown (and short-term, recyclable) item that we can get from a large retailer like this.
The tree is lit and ready for decorations!
I know, T… you are SO EXCITED! But some of those ornaments are old… and extremely breakable.
Aw crap. Sorry I hollered at ya, T. But really I was just trying to keep you safe all while having fun. Thanks for understanding (eventually).
After letting the tree dry and fall open for a day or so, it finally was time to trim! Once again, T was more than willing to assist with the cause. Now mind you, there’s only so much I was willing to let T “help” with (some of those ornaments are breakable after all!), and there were many times during the process where T got frustrated with the restrictions. I am talking about us not letting him hang the ornaments all in one spot on the tree (as in, the same branch, not even the same area of the tree) and not grabbing everything in sight before I could make sure they were intact and not something that could hurt him (i.e., broken glass ornaments, which there were a couple). Obviously we had to make sure the tree wasn’t lopsided poised to fall over any moment and that everything coming out of the boxes were safe to use. These honestly were safety issues, and it was hard at times for T to understand this as he was just SO EXCITED.
Now those ornaments… grab and hang away, T! Those are some of the stash of ornaments that T’s made during Christmas seasons’ past. I love traditions new and old, don’t you?!
A very merry T hangs an ornament on our Christmas tree this year. It’s awesome how much he really can help out now – no, really!
T and I were more than OK once he understood how “helping” actually worked. And he was still more than willing to stick around and be my helper elf (yay!).
Eventually, we found a happy medium to balance T’s excitement with an appropriate level of caution, and a great afternoon was had by all. The tree got trimmed, T loves it, and in the end it’s all that matters.
Another wonderful tradition: C holds T up to hang the star atop our Christmas tree. Love.
Our Christmas Tree! It’s crazy-busy, and not thematic in the least, but it’s full of love, light, tradition, and history… and we love it!
I hope everyone has a beautiful week enjoying the excitement of this season in your own special way! What are your plans, RMT’ers?
Real Mom Time (RMT) 