Deck the Halls

It is tradition in our house to put up the tree the weekend after Thanksgiving. As my girls have gotten older, I'm finding that there is less for me to do. So I just stand back and take photos!

I love the simplicity of our tree. There is no theme, the ornaments don't match and I like it that way. Each year, my girls get a new ornament that signifies something that happened to them this year.  So it was fitting that this year's ornaments had a Disneyland theme.

When they are all grown up and move out on their own, I'll give them the ornaments from their years here at home to start their own trees. The hubs pointed out that our tree is going to be pretty bare when that happens!

This year, we bought a new tree. Yes, I use a fake tree and I'm okay with that. I don't have to water it or pick up needles or dispose of it at New Year's. I can take it out of the box and put it right back into the box whenever I feel like it. Any-who...we bought a Colorado Blue Spruce. A little touch of home for the holiday.

I was a little bummed to hear the tree at the White House is being referred to as the "Holiday tree."  It is the Christmas tree in this house...just like it has been since the 1700's when putting trees up became a tradition associated with the holiday that takes place on December 25th.  You know the one... Christmas! Getting off my soap box...

I keep trying to "upgrade" our decorating tradition by adding a special dessert or movie to the experience. This year, Apple Cup got in the way. That's why everyone is in WSU Cougar colors. Hubs loved it.

More than the tree or any of the ornaments or any movie though is the joy of just doing it together as a family. That part is perfect just the way it is.