Oh Christmas Tree

I have a bit of an obsession with Christmas trees.  I guess it's a hangover from selling them for Dad out behind the feed store while I was in high school...standing there in the freezing cold, unbinding the trees, plunking them down hard on the bottom of the trunk, to free the branches and reveal the true shape.  I can usually spot a winner even if it still in twine.  It took two different stores to locate our prize this year. Since moving to this house, I wanted a tree that laughs at the high ceilings.  This nine footer seems to have done the trick.

By an impish set of circumstances, the only time we could all be together to decorate this beast was at 6 a.m. this morning.  Last night, Robb was prepping for a trip this weekend, and the night before that was youth group.  The night before that was a church meeting, and the night before that, we were still celebrating Thanksgiving!  But if we waited another day, Robb was away until Monday and we'd be so late getting around to decorating, when would I ever make the Christmas cookies my neighbor has been raving about all year long? 

And so, at six this morning, the alarm went off and the Christmas music went on.  The lights were already on, so the kids just needed hot chocolate and the green light to start hanging way too many of their favorite heavy ornaments on the same bendy branch.  There was the usual bickering over "MY ORNAMENT!"  but overall, it was rather fun. 

After a nap this afternoon, I was ready to tackle some of the peripheral decor.  Tomorrow promises to be nice and warm, so I will probably be shimmying up the ladder to hang some outdoor pretties.

I feel better equipped to actually celebrate this holiday than I ever have.  All my life, I have heard what you are supposed to feel like about Christmas, but I never really did.  I just played along.  This year, through a combination of things, I am more aware than ever of the things that are wrong with the world, but that heartbreak and longing point me to my faith that someday, The Prince of Peace will come and the fairy tale ending will really happen.   I am approaching Christmas in the rhythm of Advent, and it helps me to connect the same feeling I have for a blessed Sabbath with Christmas.  I've never made that connection before, but this year, it is deep in my consciousness and I feel more excited than I ever have to celebrate, and celebrate well.