O Christmas Tree

We put our Christmas tree up already, we're now those people. I also have all of my shopping finished, Christmas cards addressed and started some wrapping. I am on. the. ball. this year. Yes!

I grew up with fake trees every year, my mother was convinced I was allergic to Christmas trees, so we had a phoney one. Matt's family had a real tree, dragged from the woods behind their house. Luxury. So, our first Christmas together, we had this teeny little apartment and a four foot, fake tree. We used the same tree the next year. Jump to two years later, with a baby and a new place, we got a real one. A big, glorious, bushy, REAL tree! Oh man, I had no idea, they are a game changer. It was the most beautiful tree I'd even laid eyes on. We went to a cute little Christmas tree farm and the old men that worked there must've been elves because they picked it out and they did good.

Then, we moved again. To a new city, into an apartment building that didn't allow real trees. So we put up old faithful (the four footer) and my Mom gave us hers, a six foot, relic from my childhood. It felt wrong to go back after that one magical year with a real, live tree. This one was sparse and old and looked like a poser. So, this year we got a new one. It's pre-lit (hurrah) and seven and a half feet. Definitely an upgrade from last year, but still not quite right.

Anyway, once we bought it the kids immediately wanted it up, hence why it's up in November. Matt worked in the city for a few days this rotation, it was like heaven, let me to you. The littles and I put the tree up while he was at work one day, and impatiently waited for him to get home to decorate it. It's a bit top heavy since E is into everything. We never had that problem with Max, he knows he's allowed to touch the decorations with one finger. That's it. Ellie doesn't follow rules though, so no ornaments on the bottom half it is!

Best part of Christmas, for me, is the tree (and the food). Here's our tree...isn't she majestic?

More pictures, after the jump...

Santa's lil helpers

fake tree, fake woodland critters...