Christmas is my favorite time of year.
One year, I started putting up Christmas decorations after Thanksgiving was finished and went non stop all weekend: lights around windows, swag along banisters, trees with ribbon and baubles and handmade trinkets. I was quite possessive of the way the trees and the decorations went up. Christmas felt like my holiday, my time of year, a time I share with the Savior. I was supposed to be born on Christmas Eve, but came a couple weeks early, probably so I could take in all the twinkle lights for that extra time.
As I’ve gotten older, I don’t spend the whole weekend decorating. There were several years, when I was living with roommates, that we did very traditional trees, red and gold. It matched our lovely red couches.
This year, after looking at a few less desirable artificial trees, John and I bought a live tree. My. First. Ever. We found our lovely tree after much discussion and tree holding 
and wandering. A lovely 6-7 foot Fraser Fir. She smells divine. We brought her home and set her up, but we’re unable to trim her for several days. The appointed day arrived and I wanted the hours to go faster so I could get home. I thought about organizing all the lovely baubles my friend Brittany helped me to put together and even using paper airplanes and left over ribbon from the wedding. I was worried that the idea in my head wouldn’t, couldn’t come out. When John got home, we put on the lights. Happily John got distracted (did I say that?), so I was able to put the ribbon and the ornaments how I liked them. When I was done, she was exactly as I had pictured her. I added and old tablecloth for her skirt. She then told me her name was Myrtle.
For the first time ever, I’ve been able to put my tree topper on the tree. A pretty cream and glitter snowflake. I found it a couple years back. This year it’s extra special since I’m now a Flake.
Can you believe Christmas is almost here? We will be in Evanston, WY by the end of the week!
