Just like everyone else, this time of year is very busy for us.  Both kids have numerous concerts between Abigail’s singing in the Appalachian Children’s Chorus and participating the county’s music magnet program and Isaac’s playing in the middle school band.  Thanksgiving being late threw us off even more so we only put up our tree on Sunday.  We do not usually decorate too early but rarely do we have a tree up for only 2 weeks either.

Finally this weekend, we got a few free moments to go to the farmers’ market to buy a locally grown tree (WV local anyhow).  It’s a pretty good time skittering around through the hundreds of trees for sale.  The smell of pine (in fact, the very smell of Christmas) is fantastic and people are generally pretty friendly.  Some trees are high dollar but we generally steer away from those vendors.   Unlike most years where we put a tree in our living room with 10′ ceilings, this year we are decorating in the family room with 7′ ceilings.  Lots of times we look for the trees that are a little off-shape…not usually a true Charlie Brown Christmas tree but tending that way.  So, we looked and looked and finally found the perfect tree from a farm in French Creek, WV for $34.   Emily paid and I drove around where the attendants even tied it on the roof for us!  He told me it was a 70 mph tie-job though I decided not to test the bailing twine.

We got the tree positioned and started with the lights.  Like every year, somehow the process of storing the lights for 10 months or so caused half of the strings to die so we had to run out and get new lights.  Finally, after a trip or two out of the house, we finally got around to actually hanging the ornaments.

Friends, I have to confess that I do not enjoy any part of Christmas decorating once the tree is inside the house.  I like picking the tree and even setting it upright but then my fun is over.  Isaac is pretty much the same as me so Emily hangs lights and then she and Abigail hang the bulk of the decorations.  We usually listen to Christmas music and joke around but that’s the extent of what we do.  This year, with a smaller tree, we are hanging far fewer ornaments that usual so it was more enjoyable that usual.

Once we were all done, Isaac and Abigail sort of wrestled around in the family room and had a lot of fun.  Emily looked over at me and smirked, “and that’s why we set up a tree”.  Although Isaac and I don’t like decorating, the process did somehow put us both into a playful mood and it was totally worth it!  Christmas has finally set in at our house too!