D04 -- Holiday Decorating

When we first got married, back in the ancient year of 1997, DH and I were excited to be spending our first Christmas together in our first apartment. We went to Wal-Mart and bought a 6-ft. artificial tree. We didn't have any decorations for the tree, so we bought a few ornaments, too. It was fun putting it together, and then putting all the ornaments and lights on it. I also put up my tiny miniature tree that I had used when I was living alone.

It was so amazing to have our first tree. I remember thinking that we had our whole lives together ahead of us, to make many happy holiday memories. On the day after Christmas that year, we went shopping and bought what became two boxes of Hallmark ornaments.

A few years later, in 1999, we were anticipating the birth of DD in January. We had an extremely busy Christmas Day because we were hosting the family gathering. I got sick on Xmas Eve night, but felt better the next day. (I guess I shouldn't have waited until the last minute to do so much cleaning.) I wondered what it would be like to celebrate the following Christmas, our first Christmas with DD.

In 2000, we went all out on the house, putting up lights on the front and back porch, a new stocking for DD (even though she was not quite a year old yet), and gifts galore.

As the years have rolled on, my collection of Father Christmas figures has grown. We don't even bother with those two big boxes of Hallmark ornaments. Last year, DD made some ornaments at school, and those are displayed prominently this year on the tree. We put up minimal decorations this year. Somehow, the holiday season seems to have snuck up on us. But DD was hugely excited to get the tree decorated. DH put the tree together, and DD and I decorated it. We hung the stockings by the chimney with care, and DD is having fun with the Advent calendar, counting down the days to Christmas. She was thrilled today to count that there were only twenty more days until Christmas. Some decorating was easy this year because we never did put away the nutcrackers or the lighted garland on the mantel last year when Christmas was over.

DH also put up some lights along the fence and sidewalk. He plans to put up a few more on the porch sometime this week. Neither of us has felt particularly motivated to decorate this year, viewing it as a chore, but for DD's sake, we managed to muster up some holiday spirit. Like I said, it seems to have snuck up on us somehow.

I love to look at other people's light displays. They always bring a smile to my face. Usually, before Christmas, we take a drive through town to look at all the different decorations. I love doing this. It wakes up my holiday spirit, which is sometimes in short supply.