Decorating the Christmas Tree

This year we got a real Christmas tree to decorate.  It’s actually our first NYC tree – for the past few years we have just hung a garland to decorate.  The last tree was had was this one in Virginia Beach.

Yes – that baby is Elaine!

This was 2011 – getting our garland ready.  Last year we were moving so we didn’t decorate. 

I wanted to have a tree this year because Elaine and Nolan are big enough to enjoy it.  But I also have two mobile babies, so this presented a problem.  We decided to get a small tree and set it up on the coffee table.  {This has worked perfectly until today, when Liberty pulled herself up to standing.  I’m no longer certain that the tree will survive the season}.

The best day for us to do the “tree thing” was last Sunday, which happened to be December 1st.  We rushed through supper and then piled into the car to find a tree lot with a halfway decent price.  We were going to end up at Home Depot if nothing else worked out! 

The babies slept through the tree selection, but Nolan and Elaine loved it…and the candy canes which were given to them! 

 

After putting the twins to bed we began pulling out funky ornaments, most of them handmade.  Mom gave me all of my ornaments when I left home, and I’ve made a few over the last couple of years when money was too tight to buy new ones.  The homemade ones are the most special, though, in many cases.

I pulled away from the fun to make some homemade hot chocolate!

Editor’s Note: Please notice that Nolan’s pajama pants are on correctly.  He was so excited about the tree that he didn’t even protest when Ben put the baseball on his bum.  He usually insists on putting these pants on backwards, by himself.

Some ornaments made from juice and sauce lids.  Buttons, spray paint, glue, voila!

 
On our first Christmas we didn’t have a tree topper, so Ben drew a Star of David on cardboard and covered it with tin foil.  Still using it this year!

 
Our tree!

I was so tired, but very happy.  These little monkeys stayed up till 10:30 decorating the tree, but it didn’t affect wake-up time by much the next morning!

In an attempt to teach our children to be givers and not greedy, we try to keep Christmas simple.  Each year they have received new pajamas from Mommy & Daddy, and 1-2 small toys.  This year I picked up the Little People Nativity Set and expansion packs on clearance, with free shipping.  We let the kids open them after the tree was decorated so that they can enjoy playing with them all month until Christmas.  And for the first four days, those were the only toys that the kids touched.  Even the twins got in on the action!