we had our first attempt at a democratic Christmas tree decorating this year.

the kids, bless them, loved it. racing back and forth, repeating the drummed into their blonde heads admonition, "one finger on the Christmas tree" mantra, placing, pushing, forcing, dropping, attempting, to put ornaments whereever they thought they might belong.

once every three minutes (roughly) sebastian would ask, "when can we put the star up?" and once every three minutes i would answer, "when we're finished decorating."

so many things irritated me about d.C.t.d.

1) sebastian's voice got a little whingier each time he asked how much longer until the star. that wasn't too pleasant but neither was my immature response, which was to get snarlier. and i believe i  might have thrown in, "this will be the Christmas without a star if you don't stop asking." let me check my notes, but it does sound familiar.

2) sebastian sort of dented the ornament he made for me last year. how can you break a styrofoam ornament? seb found a way.

3) the kids have not inherited one a.r. fashion gene. not a single strand. i thought sebastian and sela had them. apparently i was wrong because those kids had no problems putting two blue ornaments next to each other. don't they KNOW blue-silver-blue is the correct order of the Christmas tree universe? (unless you're this chick i run across occasionally who when she asked me my christmas tree theme colours and i told her, she responded, "oh, i did that a few years ago when it was popular.") so the tree is haphazardly decorated.

during the infertility years, i prayed for this tree. or more specifically, for kids to do an endearingly crap job decorating the tree. we didn't buy a tree one Christmas pre-kids, there didn't seem a point. so my complaints are worse than sebastian's whinging about when can he see a star. for months i begged to see a double line on a pregnancy test. during my ivf i begged to have the blood test done early, so i could get the results faster.

that star on the Christmas tree means presents will soon follow under it, and holidays and daddy not going to work. three fantastic treats for sebastian. that blood test for me meant magnificent charles and i were getting the best presents we had ever asked for.

i realised i had to lighten up about the tree. which is why i am stoopendously proud to announce that i did NOT rearrange ANY ornaments last night after they had all gone to bed.

Comments

[SheilaC]

Well, I must confess to having moved a FEW ornaments after the kids have decorated - in years past. It's hard to ignore the ones that are about to fall off anyway from the branch that has 10 ornaments, while a nearby one has none...
When we do our tree next weekend, I will try to remember to enjoy the kids' efforts, and not to re-arrange them afterwards. You seem to have more will-power than I do!

[Louise M]

When the kids got to be Sebastion's age, I used to tell them to stand back and look at the tree and see where the bald spots were. Prior to that, I got to do the upper branches, they did the lower ones. We always put the Angel on first, as she had to be attached to the lights. Much easier to do it before ornaments, then after (nothing gets knocked off) Wonder how long it will take before your chicklets start moving the ornaments around. ("Mummy, this looks much prettier over here" "This one was lonely"...) Congrats on not moving the ornaments around, it is a huge temptation...

[Auntie Pammie]

I would love to see the finished result :-)
xo

[Tammy]

I can so easily relate to the dream of one day "having that tree."

I am still laughing at the thought of total mayhem breaking loose in your home.. This year, I tried the "traditional" tree trimming. Christmas carols, apple cider....the whole bit. I sat in the floor, ornaments in hand, and attempted to explain the significance of each one.

Brody couldn't have cared less. He was too distracted by the Batman ornament that seems to fly pretty well. It went sailing across the living room several times.

Oh well....maybe next year.

[Kara]

Tess, that was funny!
"don't they KNOW blue-silver-blue is the correct order of the Christmas tree universe"
Alas, my tree ALWAYS looks like Charlie Browns!

[joeinvegas]

Lighten up! Put that star on already, for goodness sake. Why does it have to go up last?

[knobody]

ah, the joys of not having a tree! sagan thinks santa is real. i'm still debating when i have to break the news to him. maybe this year i'll bring down the menorah.

[Lori in YK]

Christmas is a joyous and Oh, so stressful time of the year!!! Yesterday I found myself terribly upset, because of my son's hockey schedule there are no outside lights up on my house yet...that is my Husband's job and he just got back from a Peace River tournament...but how dare he not put those up right away upon parking the truck!! If it was me...!!! But it is not and I reminded myself that it is that kind of thinking that makes Christmas stressful......Tess, the fact that you did not move the ornaments means that you made a concious choice to put your kids excitement and their efforts above the preconception of what a perfect Christmas tree should look like. You are a great mom and know that there are only so many Christmas memories to make while they are small...enjoy every moment.........I miss them already and my kids are only 11 and 15 (both still like to beleive in the Spirit of Santa and will physically plugg their ears and go na, na, na, na if someone tries to tell them different..haha!!).

All the joy of the Season!