O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree

Our tree is up and in typical Wilson - Rucker fashion, it is a bit haphazard.  That's okay.  By the time it comes down, it will be positively disheveled.  I hold with the notion that trees are for children.  They are magic, delight, and wonder all lit up and tinseled to our heart's desire, even the child's heart in this grown up body.  When I was a child, my mother always made hot chocolate and we decorated the tree  we had all trooped into a pasture to cut down.  If she was really good, there was singing of Christmas carols too.   Sappy, right?  Not for us.   It was just mystical.

Trees, at least for me, are not about decor, design, or style.  I shall never end up with a tree that is decorated in just one color or theme.  Better Homes and Gardens won't be doing a holiday photo shoot with us.

Instead, it is a family tree.  I did discreetly move a few of the 7 identical balls off the single branch that held them.  I might have moved a few of the favorite things out of cat pawing reach.  Overall, though, it was decorated by Bell and me (Jack brought it in,  put it up, and did the lights) and we used a hodge podge of decorations that were given to us and that we made, filling in the gaps with a few store bought things.

Some favorites on the tree are the eggs that Jack and I blew out and painted when he helped me put up my first tree after I was on my own.  We dyed them with Rit dye and then blew the centers out.  The problem was that the dye rubbed off on our mouths, and we both walked around for a few days with rainbow lips.    A lot have been broken so Bell and I made more last year to go with the few originals.  (We blew first, colored second.  Yep, older and wiser).  There are the ginger bread men that Jack and I made the first year we were married.  Once again, some have been broken so Bell and I made some additions two years ago.  Of course, there is an ornament that Bell has picked out every year, sometimes Hallmark, sometimes not.  I might be seeing a definite Disney theme here.

The stockings have been found.  Bell put the "God people" under the tree (I do realize there is some culture clashing in that).  The iron reindeer are out.  The Elf has been making his appearances and even whisked the Christmas list away last night.  Right now, it is pretty and perfect, but it is temporary.  Buttercup has already been removed from it once.  She was giving it the hairy eyeball and swatting ornaments.   Coco just wants to alternately sleep on the tree skirt and wrestle other cats under the tree.  Huxley has stolen and eaten a 2 year old gingerbread man.    In a few weeks, the lower branches will have been redecorated several times as whims seize my child.   That is all fine.  It is what Christmas trees are for at this house.