After all that has happened this month, I have been left with little energy, let alone Christmas spirit.  Our plan was to put up the tree upon our return from Guatemala.  Obviously, all post-Guatemala plans were derailed.   On Tuesday night this week, I asked Steve what if he still wanted to put up the tree.  He said it seemed rather pointless for such a short period of time.  (I have 3 rules about Christmas trees: they must be fake so I don’t have to vacuum up needles for 8 months, they can not be up before Dec 1 and they must be down by Dec 31.  Despite the fact that my rules sound Grinchy, I really do love decorating the tree and having it up.)  I was perfectly fine with not putting up a tree this year.  What did I have to celebrate?  My father is gone and my daughter in spending Christmas in another country with another family.

But I thought a lot about it this week.  Steve loves Christmas and he loves decorations.  Why should I ruin this year for him just because I’ve been a Scrooge?  I had yesterday off for Christmas Eve but Steve gets Tuesday off instead.  I decided to put the tree up and put the lights on while he was at work so we could decorate it together when he got home.  I trudged down to the basement and discovered I couldn’t lift the tree box – that sucker is heavy!  So I dragged the tree upstairs, piece by piece.  I put it together and fluffed it.  I strung lights all around (my personal tip – don’t string the lights around the tree – do it vertically up and down the tree – it makes taking them off so much easier).

Steve was very happy to see the tree when he came home.  He said he was going to do the same thing for me that very night after I went to bed.  So after a little time decorating, we have a tree:

It looks lovely and I’m so glad we put it up.  I’ve decided I’m not going to mourn my way through the holiday.  I’m going to enjoy all of the wonderful blessings I do have this year.  The first being my amazing husband.

So we,

wish you and your families

and

this holiday season.