The tree trimming at our house, it all looks so serene and full of the peace and grace of Jesus Christ, doesn’t it? You can almost imagine the God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen in the background and smell the hot chocolate sprinkled with marshmallows, bubbling in oversized mugs.
Here’s what tree trimming was really like in our house this year.
1. First of all there was definitely no hot chocolate because I was completely caught off guard by the need to trim the tree this year. Christmas? It comes every year? On the 25th you say? It only occurred to us sometime Friday morning, as we recovered from our turkey coma, that THAT very day was the ONLY non-working day we had free before December 25th.
2. …Which meant that I hadn’t even had a chance to remove all the Thanksgiving finery in my home. I piled the pumpkins and gourds and leaf garlands on my kitchen counters, creating an atmosphere of chaos! and clutter! This was a problem because I don’t do chaos! and clutter! well when inviting more chaos! and clutter! Christmas decorations into the house.
3. So we got started on the wrong foot! No hot chocolate! Chaos! and clutter!
4. I’m taking an online photo class from Willette called Finding the Joy and had received my assignment that morning to photograph our annual tree trimming festivities. Well finding the joy, INDEED, because my family gets highly irritated by my constant click, click, clicking with the camera. But I had an ASSIGNMENT! I was FINDING JOY for crying out loud.
5. So I may or may not have cried out loud out of frustration that our tree trimming was lacking joy.
6. I was doing the laundry in the midst of tree trimming. Frankly, folding a load of underwear does not get me in the Christmas spirit.
7. We allowed the kids to unbox and unwrap delicate ornaments, some of which are OLD (like 35 WHOLE years old). This was a mistake. This is tradition that won’t continue. Lesson learned.
8. We had to take a snack break during the “festivities.” Since I was unprepared, the kids had Super Mario fruit snacks, because nothing says Merry Christmas like gummies shaped like Luigi.
9. But really? It all ended up being perfect (in spite of myself and in spite of broken ornaments and clusters of ornaments on the tree. But mostly in spite of myself.)
10. We ended on a high note with a hearty chuckle about blue balls. Because nothing says Merry Christmas like, well, never mind.
That is one wide-hipped Santa! I’m glad you found the joy. The pictures are awesome.
Marinka´s last [type] ..I’m Right- You’re Wrong!
Oh, dear. I understand completely. I had big plans to get a tree and decorate on Sunday. Instead, I spent the day laying on the couch and running laps between it and the toilet bowl (stomach bug). Yay for the holidays!! *smacks forehead*
Forgotten´s last [type] ..Being thankful vs being grateful
Bwahaha! This made me chuckle so much. I think it’s pretty much universal.
Shannon´s last [type] ..Thankful
What, I’m supposed to chuck the pumpkins and gourds.
I’m hoping to have those removed from our front porch by Easter!
Leighann of Multi-Minding Mom´s last [type] ..Autumn Sky
It gets better as they get older, promise. Mine are 5 and 7 and this year it was pretty peaceful
AND I got to sit on my butt and hand out ornaments, yeah for lazy decorating!
LOL, saw your balls on flickr
MommyNamedApril´s last [type] ..Throwing Heavy Balls! Knocking Things Down! With Permission!!!
Number ten cracked me up.
I think the thought of a perfect tree trimming time…is an illusion. At least if you have kids. Or a husband. Or have to put up a dam tree.
It’s the finished product that matters. Yours is beautiful.
Issa´s last [type] ..Tales from a Dial-Up weekend
Your photos are beautiful… isn’t that why we take photos? So that we can gloss over the yucky parts and remember the “magic”?
Marie Green´s last [type] ..Moved!
my tree is still in the attic of my garage. But mark my word, I’m getting it out, on Thursday.
designhermomma´s last [type] ..An open invitation to my Ugly Sweater party- next September
I’m jealous. I totally want to take a photography course!
But I am not jealous about all the drama. Guess it is good that in this house the husband puts up the tree and that is about as far as we get every year.
At least your tree trimming/decorating was some sort of event. Apparently, ours is rolling out in very slow phases.
Last night, we tried putting up my husband’s nativity set from his childhood and it broke twice in 10 minutes
He had a fit, so it went back to the garage and we called it a night.
Also, there is a naked tree in my living room taunting me. So rude.
It might not have been funny in the moment, but it sure was funny in the re-telling.
Donna´s last [type] ..Emergency Room Visit 2
Love the pics!!!
*laughing*
Sarahviz´s last [type] ..Army Mail
That was the post of AWESOME, friend. xo
Loralee´s last [type] ..Let’s have a discussion about kids and online safety This is my way of asking for your help and participation- peeps xo Hey- I just come straight out and ask- dudes
It’s funny how these traditions always seem so much more idyllic in our memories than in actual practice.
We’re supposed to trim the tree tonight after putting it off for several nights due to illnesses in the family. I’m still recovering, very tired, very stressed and very hopeful that no one whines because I don’t think I can handle that today. Oh, and there’s probably not going to be hot chocolate on our end either. (I think I’m more upset about that than anyone!)
Malia´s last [type] ..Weekly Winners- November 20-27- Thankful for Traditions
We have finally gotten our tree up. And the lights on it, only to have the power go out for one and a half hours! I still need to find a power board now and turn them on.
Your blog is all pretty today. Very nice.
Beautiful, beautiful — the tree, the family, and the new blog design!
mep´s last [type] ..I want my two hours! sans the riding over the cliff
beautiful tree! and the kids wont remember the stress of it all. I know i sure didnt and have fond memories of christmases passed.
My kids are now old enough to handle christmas ornaments and that is the best ever. no more me having to do it all!
I gave up worrying about where ornaments were placed years ago and just let the kids slap them on any which way.
Love the new design and the blue balls…..laughing, lots.
Domestic Extraordinaire´s last [type] ..Pineapples arent just a fruit
Lovely pictures though! This is maybe the best example of when senility will come in handy. These pictures will prove to your older self that your children never did [insert whatever your grandchildren are doing here].
Allison @ Motherhood, WTF?´s last [type] ..One of Those Days…
“I had an assignment…I was finding the FRICKIN JOY DAMMIT”
So I am trying to narrow down the blogs I follow because I know I am missing out on great posts because my reader is cluttered… so glad I made my way to this post! Classic! And yes, the blue balls made me LOL!
Branson´s last [type] ..Another project crossed off the list!
We have finally gotten our tree up. And the lights on it, only to have the power go out for one and a half hours! I still need to find a power board now and turn them on. Your blog is all pretty today. Very nice.