{"id":6901,"date":"2019-12-16T14:36:52","date_gmt":"2019-12-16T19:36:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/briwebapp.net\/cfgxfm\/?p=6901"},"modified":"2019-12-16T16:53:04","modified_gmt":"2019-12-16T21:53:04","slug":"got-our-tree","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/briwebapp.net\/cfgxfm\/blogs\/afternoons\/2019\/12\/got-our-tree\/","title":{"rendered":"Got Our Tree"},"content":{"rendered":"

When I was a kid, getting the family Christmas tree was a really big deal.<\/p>\n

It was an event in itself.\u00a0 Everyone went.\u00a0 I remember going to White Rose and browsing rows and rows of trees.\u00a0 Everyone had a say.\u00a0 After we moved to the country, we went to a tree farm every year to chop down a tree.\u00a0 Bundled up, braving the elements, all on the quest to find the perfect tree.<\/p>\n

Mom would put the lights on the tree, and we waited, anxiously, to put the ornaments up. Mostly things us kids (there were four of us) had made in school.\u00a0 I used to draw my Christmas trees upside down. I was reminded of that every year when those old hand crafted ornaments went up.\u00a0 Sometimes there was a string of popcorn.\u00a0 There were bubble lights.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

And always lots of tinsel, I remember so slowly and carefully adding to the tree at the very end.\u00a0 Strand by strand.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Such great memories of our family tree and I love doing that now with my own family.<\/p>\n

We’ve gone to the tree farms, and more recently, it’s a merry walk through a store parking lot.\u00a0 (smile).\u00a0 \u00a0 Not quite the same as the tree farm, but it’s still quality family time.<\/p>\n

This year, my husband got stuck working, and I was determined to get the tree.\u00a0 You know the expression, “where there’s a will, there’s a way”?\u00a0 That was my daughters and myself this weekend.<\/p>\n

I was not confident I could strap a tree to the roof of my car, so instead, we picked a smaller tree, and fought to get it IN the car.\u00a0 Through the back window, across the seats.\u00a0 No shortage of laughter, that’s for sure.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The car STILL smells like pine, and it will probably be spring before I get all the needles out, but that just adds to the memories and the fun.<\/p>\n

So yesterday, with the everyone at home, we set up the tree and “trimmed the tree”.\u00a0 \u00a0 I am the one to add the lights – switched it up this year and changed to all white lights.\u00a0 Not without problems.\u00a0 We needed to replace some and add some.\u00a0 A few trips to the store and finally, we were able to light the tree.<\/p>\n

The ornaments have been the same over the years, and I have something from each of my three kids scattered through the tree.\u00a0 Something they have made at different ages.\u00a0 Those are the best.<\/p>\n

Christmas wish lists, snowmen, Santas, hand prints on ornaments.\u00a0 A reminder of the years gone by. A reminder of how much they have grown and changed.<\/p>\n

And this year I added a bit of tinsel – my youngest would roll her eyes and say “mom, that’s a LOT of tinsel” – a nod to childhood and memories of when I was just little.<\/p>\n

Every Christmas our tree is a little bit different and I love it.\u00a0 I love the time together decorating.\u00a0 We’ve gone from letting the kids do it. Rearranging it (smile).\u00a0 Letting them do it all.\u00a0 To them being too grown up, and watching more than participating.\u00a0 Life changes.<\/p>\n

What do you do for Christmas?\u00a0 What are your traditions?\u00a0 \u00a0What reminds you of childhood?<\/p>\n

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