O Christmas Tree...

I love decorating for Christmas. I love my house at Christmas time. I wish I could have Christmas decorations up all year round. I do keep several of my Nativities out all year, because I like having them up to remind us of Christmas all year round.

I grew up in a house that looked so beautiful at Christmas. My mom had garlands hanging from every window, evergreen boughs draped over every bookcase, a fantastic collection of nutcrackers displayed in the living room and on the dining room table, and beautiful German pyramids warming the rooms with their soft candle light and fan.

Our family traditions around Christmas are some of my very favorites. I remember decorating the Christmas tree. The night before we (the kids) would decorate the tree, my mom would stay up late and put the lights, the red jeweled garlands, gold stars and the bows on the tree. We would come down in the morning to an already beautiful tree. Then in the evening, we would turn on Christmas music and all of the ornaments were laid out on the coffee table for us to decorate. The house smelled of mulling spices and the memories are just as sweet. We'd all put our own decorations (received each year either in our stockings or from my grandparents), on the tree first and then ones from the year we were born. Next we'd hang all of the dated ornaments that my grandparents had given us each year. Tom always got to hang the blue bird up at the top the tree. Lastly we would hang up the many wooden German ornaments. I loved those nights.

I really hope that my girls will have similar memories of our Christmas preparations. A couple of Sundays ago, we decorated our Christmas trees. The girls get to do the family room tree- after I did the garlands and the sparkles. There are clumps of ornaments down low and very few that the girls let me put up high.

They love their tree. Whenever someone comes over they want to show off their beautiful tree. I also love their tree and it makes me smile every time I look at it.

After we decorated the family room tree, I decorated the entry room Christmas tree. There are still a few things left to hang, and some furniture that needs to be moved, but my house is all Christmas and I don't want December to end.