getting ready for Christmas

On Saturday the season began for us.We always give each boy an annual ornament. It is always made by Mom or bought at Hallmark to represent a current interest. This means the tree is peppered with days-gone-by and memories of past infatuations. You can find Superman, Veggie Tales, Peter Pan, a robot...(I hope my future daughter-in-laws don't hate me for their husbands bringing this menagerie of ornaments to their tree each year!?) Last year there was much tearing through the ornaments, searching for that special favorite, so I went out and got each boy a shoebox for "their" ornaments. The kids are always excited to put these on first, then the family ornaments and last of all the shiny red glass balls.

those are completely Mom's department.

the boys can hang their crazy ornaments wherever they wish, but I get a little neurotic about the ball placement. And we can't even try garland on the tree. I would be certifiable, trying to make that be all even and symmetrical! Christmas music playing sets the mood for the tree. As we decorate the rest of the house, we watch the first (of many) viewings of "It's a Wonderful Life" . I know most of it by heart, so its dialogue is mostly background for the work of arranging. But I have to stop puttering to stop and watch my favorite scenes and am annually surprised when the same things make me cry!

John set up our fancy toilet brush (yes, it's a faux tree) and the boys are quickly at work! I can't think of a year that John put ornaments on the tree. He just doesn't like that part and I don't mind, with three willing helpers. But John still participates... It was such a beautiful sunny day Saturday! Almost hard to get in Winter Wonderland mode but we did our best. For the first time, we aren't leaving town this year for Christmas (thanks again, Lee and Claudia for moving here!!) John doubled our lights, lining the fence with icicles and putting colorful fat, LED lights around the eaves, doors and windows. It's amazing how much more we appreciate holiday lights by living in the country. Without the streetlamps and city lights. and with acres of darkness between each house, every little strand is so bright. Before it is even 7 pm you'll be driving for miles in a thick, silent darkness. When you come around a bend and see a home, all lit up and sparkling like a welcoming beacon? That just adds to the magic of Christmas!
and especially, so does Advent. This Sunday was the first of remembering and we lit the candle of HOPE.

The lights, the gifts, the joy, the relationships? Of course all of it points to just One thing...

the most important thing in all of this celebration ?

giving honor to Him.