Christmas Prep

We got a late start to the holidays this year.  Thansgiving was so early, and then last weekend I was in Portland for a "sisters weekend" so we just finally got around to decorating last night. As per usual, we stopped at several tree stands before going back to the one closest to our house where we picked out a short, fat tree that everyone was worried wouldn't be big enough or pretty enough.  But I was sold on it. Brian even went so far as to suggest that we may need to go buy a second tree since the one I picked out, upon further look once it was in the stand, appeared to be ugly. Howver, in a spoiler for the blog post ahead, IT IS BEAUTIFUL, if not a little quirky, and the Chrismtas Spirit is now in full swing at the Alan household. 

We had a snacky dinner- tradition- while decorating. The kids loved the spread of salami and cheese, pigs in a blanket, and pizza rolls (not a vegetable in sight). I was more partial to the dessert that my mom brought- another spread with choices between cheesecake, carrot cake, and chocolate cake. Yum. Tis the season.  Brian assumed his usual position on the couch where he handed out the ornaments to the kids one by one, I assumed my role as the "teller of the story" behind each ornament and the person that relocates the ornaments that the kids hung (all in a similar height level clump), and my mom watched from her chair, adding to the stories when she could- contributing those that were attributed to Papa, great grandmas, and the like.  


It is our first Christmas in our new home and really does look beautiful. We have garlands on the staircase, stockings hung on the mantel, the tree in the back window, a poinsettia on the table, and lights out front. We tried to put our blow up Santa and penguin up in the kids rooms but it turned out that they were too loud so we had to move them (to Goodwill).  

We followed the decorating with our annual viewing of Shrek the Halls and we all laughed out loud at all of our favorite parts- trying hard not to quote and requote the characters (Yes, Jake, I'm talking about you!).  Shrek  stated, "That wasn't Christmas, that was CHAOS!" and Donkey reminded him that  in his family "Christmas ain't Christmas 'til somebody cries.". There are so many lines in that show that are laugh out loud funny. It's a great reminder that Christmas doesn't have to be perfect- which came as a great reminder since my Christmas cards arrived the day before with a glaring typo on them and they're being sent anyway! Martha Stewart I am not. 

So, we are all in the spririt and trying to enjoy each and every day of this magicial season.