It's Begining to Look A Lot Like Christmas

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, everywhere I go...

Holiday cheer is contagious! WRVR, The River is playing continuous Christmas music, the funeral home is all decorated, the city is alive with lights and here at Butler Manor, we have CHRISTMAS TREES GALORE!

Mary Margaret and Taylor get handmade ornaments from their Aunt Judy and Grandmother each year (on their mom's side). Their collection has out grown the little 3 foot trees we bought years ago for their rooms. This week I decided to get them a full size tree, a 5 footer. Their trees are loaded with decorations and their rooms look so cheerful and cozy. Notice: Zac Efron is not a Christmas decoration, he is a permanent fixture in Taylor's pink room.

I mentioned to Mary Margaret that the trees would last a long time and that she would treasure her ornaments for a lifetime...then I said, "And you'll have a nice tree and ornaments to start off with in your first home or apartment." She looked like I had slapped her. "What's wrong?" I asked. She says real quietly, "Um, so, um, well, No one ever told me I was gonna have to move out. What's that all about? And why do I have to move? I wasn't planning on moving until like I'm 25, you know, really old." Funny, but so pure and innocent. Made my heart swell.

Tradition is a huge part of Christmas. Tradition here until last year was to put the tree up on my birthday. Lives get so busy, I missed it last year and this year. There are some traditions that just can't be broken, like, the angel my Brawner grandparents gave me goes in the exact same spot on the tree every year for the last 25 years, I use my childhood stocking that my mother made and it is still beautiful and makes me miss being a kid untouched by the reality of being an adult (and makes me miss mom), the sleigh bells go on the front door to "catch" Santa with, popcorn string is the finishing touch to the tree, and so many more.

We have new traditions too. We started about 5 years ago making homemade hot chocolate the day the tree goes up, we sit around the tree and admire it and sip our hot chocolate, we take a picture of the girls in front of the tree each year, I love making memories with this family of mine.

My favorite decorations, there are so many, are not the ones that I bought on a whim, but the ones that mean something. The tree skirt that Andy's wife made me several years ago, I think about their family as I unwrap it and spill a few tears cause I miss those guys so much! Amanda also made the bears under the tree for MM and Taylor, they are a new tradition too, they have front row seats in front of the tree each year.

I own one piece of Waterford Crystal, courtesy of my little brother, Scottie way off in Alaska. I haven't seen him in person in a couple of years, which breaks my heart, cause it sure would feel good to give him a hug (and I'm not just saying that cause he reads this blog either!)

The frosty and kids in this picture came in a flower arrangement the day I was born...so they are really really old, like 36 years old.

Merry Christmas a little early. I hope each one of you know how special you all are to me.

What are your traditions? What makes it special for you?