The Tree is Up, The Presents are…Definitely Going to Be There Christmas Morning.
Our tree is finally up. It was a debacle of sorts that started at Thanksgiving. On the way to Thanksgiving dinner we passed one of those lots that is essentially a strand of lights surround some fir trees. “We should get a Christmas tree.” I commented. “We should get one geographically close to our house.” was M’s response. On the way home from Thanksgiving: “You know, Christmas is coming pretty soon. We should get a tree.” “We should wait not get a tree from there.” – M pointing at the same tree lot. In his defense it would have meant driving most of the way home with a tree across our car.
Fast forward a week and there is still no tree in sight. “We should get one this weekend. We should all go out to the Farmer’s Market as a family, maybe have breakfast…and pick out a tree.” That was me living in my fantasy world. Saturday we had a wedding to go to, and SL was a hot mess most of the morning and it was freezing and sort of rainy. “We’ll go tomorrow. Definitely.” – M. Sunday morning dawns, and we are exhausted from staying out wayyy too late for parents of a baby who is sleeping less than 12 hours a night. It’s cold again and kind of gross. “We shouldn’t take her out in this.” “Definitely not.” And so it continues.
Monday morning dawns with a plan. M. is going to work from home and head out to the Farmer’s Market during lunch to pick out a tree. The images of us traveling as a family to find the perfect family Christmas tree have been shot. It’s not even the Griswold version. M doesn’t wear enough neckties to warrant driving somewhere to find a Santa tie. This time of year is insanity for me- I have report cards, am wrapping up projects and I have the dreaded Christmas list. Have Christmas lists ever not been a “woman’s work”? Somehow I think it’s always been put on women to not only find the perfect Christmas gifts for their family and friends and their spouses/s.o.’s family and friends but also to wrap them beautifully and have them on hand ready to gift. Oh, and we need to make it look like it’s not a big deal at all. That we totally did this on the fly because we are that good. That’s what I’m saying. So I have been put in charge of family Christmas presents. I can talk to M about this. Meaning I ask something like, “What do you think your brothers would like for Christmas?” and he shrugs and says, “Oh, I’m sure we’ll think of something.” Oh. My. God. Monday afternoon, I call home and hear from him that he just didn’t really feel like heading out to the farmer’s market, tired and it was raining. So I start developing a plan that involves getting SL to her doctor’s appointment then heading out to the farmer’s market, stepping out the car, and waving bills around until someone brings me a tree. Not to be. I arrived home, stressed and walked in to the smell of Christmas. Best surprise ever. I will not share how long it took us to get decorations on, but here it is:
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I am a SUCKER for Christmas trees and ornaments. That’s why I posted a photo of the ornament I chose for SL. She’s ended up being all about the owls. But ornaments are important. My parents still have all the awesome ornaments I created at church and school for the first 12 years of my life. And I CANNOT wait to add SL’s ornaments. I love that stuff. I love everything that involves cutting paper and gluing symbols and wrapping yarn around popsicle sticks. M doesn’t even know what he’s in for. So I pulled out all the ornaments I have. A lot of them are vintage, meaning they were rejects leftover from my grandma’s ornament give away. Grandkids got last pick. Some of them are ornaments that I picked up over the year. I told M the story of my first Christmas in NYC. How I walked through the village, all lit up, turned around and walked back 5 blocks to Rite-Aid, where I purchased a 3 foot artificial tree, ornaments and lights. Oh, and a tree skirt. Then walked home carrying all that junk and set it up in my tiny studio apartment. And that was Christmas. I ended up giving that tree away, probably after Lucy took it down and broke a lot of the ornaments. But some survived. A little seal wrapped around 2005. A couple of weird figures from the Rudolph movie. I have ornaments from before I had trees, gifts that were given, and things I picked up hoping for the perfect Christmas tree. And we finally have it. Bright and beautiful and hopeful, just like the season we are in. The Advent season is all about the promise, hope and love of the baby we are preparing to celebrate. And this year, we have our own baby to celebrate.
We are setting up for SL’s first Christmas. The thing about a first Christmas for a 6 month old is that they aren’t going to remember it, BUT if you don’t do enough everyone will know and they’ll think you’re those parents who also believe in coal. And we definitely aren’t those parents, in case you’re worried about it. We’re going to be the amazing parents who do an awesome job and provide a toy for every sensory and developmental milestone for the next year. December has been a big month for SL- baptism, and now Christmas. We even went and saw Santa today. I’m proud of myself for this because instead of heading to the mall (nightmare even without a sweet babe), I found out they were doing a free Santa at Bruegger’s. I lured M in with the promise of bagels and we headed up there this afternoon. So easy! You provided the camera, Santa was awesome and he was surrounded by Christmas trees. Perfect. I also want to point out that apparently my daughter could care less who’s holding her because she actually reached for a huge red man with a beard. Builds confidence, doesn’t it? Then I called Babies-R-Us to place an order the other day and the guy spent like 20 minutes telling me about this 8 foot giraffe he’s buying someone for Christmas. Assuming it’s his kid I wonder- should we be purchasing life size stuffed animals for our own daughter? Is it ridiculous to purchase teethers and a Bumbo seat? Finally I say in my sweetest Southern voice, “Now who are you buying this for again?” “My fiancee. She loves giraffes.” SAVE. I order the Bumbo and teether guilt free. It’s not like SL’s going to remember, right?
