Chistmas Tree Party

I love traditional annual events. We celebrated my most favorite one this past weekend...our Christmas Tree decorating party. We purchase our Christmas tree from the same lot every year (I guess this has only been our third year but still). The lot is located not to far from our house and is run by a faith based halfway house. The men in the program cut the trees and man the lot. For some reason I can justify the silliness of killing the forest and American commercialism knowing that the labor is provided but such a blessed group of men.

The most memorable part of this year's event was the addition of a new family member. Usually it is just Rob and I but Stefi joined us this year much to my delight. The evening started with decorating Christmas cookies that I labored over all afternoon...Ok so maybe I just bought the prepaid and turned the oven on but still. We made lovely green and red cookies while singing along to Christmas carols.

After the cookies were lovingly decorated Rob came home and off we go to purchase our tree. Last year our tree was so big Rob had to chop off the top so it could fit in our place. So this year he was convinced we needed a smaller one (silly Rob!). We arrive and I think Stefi is slightly put off by the biker man providing security or maybe it was the fact that someone tried to show Rob in the halfway house! We make into the lot and of course Rob and Stefi left to their own devices pick out the most "Charlie Brown" tree in the whole lot. I finally give in after looking at all the more beautiful trees and decide it was the experience I was looking for not the perfect tree.

After loading the tree in the car and being gouged it by it several times on purpose, as part of Rob's great sense of humor, we make it upstairs. This is where the fun really begins because this where we get to eat! As part of our tradition we only eat appetizers. We had veggies and onion dip, bean dip and several types of chips, 3 different types of cookies, olives, pizza slices, Hershey kisses, chocolate covered cherries and...well I think that is but I can't be sure.

After eating more than our fair share of food it is time to decorate the tree. In order to inspire the two deviants Rob puts on the Mariah Carey Christmas DVD. Well, I think it might have inspired them too much because as I painstakingly began putting up the lights in an organized fashion so as not to miss any portion of the tree, nor show any plugs, Rob and Stefi decide to take the three reels of lights left and just throw them on the tree. And I mean throw literally. Again I give into the fun because there is no use with these two I realize. So our Charlie Brown Christmas Tree went up in true fashion and fun was had by all.


The evening ended at around 10 pm and by then I think we all needed an Alki Selser and some non Mariah Carey music...or maybe I just did!

But the evening was a blast. It was memories built after missing so many with my younger sister. It was like revisiting old times with her but even better because Rob could be a part of it. I couldn't have asked for a more beautiful way to begin the holidays. I feel blessed by family, love and laughter!

I will have to post pictures later as the computer is not being helpful.