OCD—Over Christmas Decor

(See how I did that with the title there?  That isn’t coincidence…it took some time to come up with that. ;) )

Usually, I’m pretty OCD about our Christmas tree. Hey, if it’s going to be sitting in my sight for a month, I want it to be perfect.  Traditionally, (sometime during the weekend after Thanksgiving) we turn on some Christmas music and the kids help decorate the tree.  They love to hang their own special ornaments on the branches just within their reach.  The other ornaments are usually just tossed on, without a care in the world about spacing.  In years past, after the children are asleep, I usually re-do the whole thing.    Purposefully, the tree and the different nativity sets, are about all we have for decorations. 

 

This  year, however, I haven’t gotten around to the re-doing portion of the ornaments.  Most of the ornaments on our tree can be seen on the bottom half, exactly where Bogey and Double Bogey can reach.  I find whatever ornament they have pulled off the tree (I have found them in the laundry room, the garage, their bedroom, chucked down the stairs, and in the bathtub) and then I replace it on the upper limbs.  I don’t have the stamina to police the tree, as I have done in years past.  There has been a lot of cringing each time the tree has jumped into my visual path.  December 26—as per tradition--the tree comes down (usually around midnight).  I hope I can wait that long.

 

 

I’ve always had a love for nativities.  I guess it stems from the beauty of the one my parents always had on display at Christmastime.  I loved to help my mom with the display, spreading out the blue silky fabric, then the white lights, topped with that white stringy stuff—angel hair?    Plus, I vaguely remember taking part in picking out and painting the white porcelain.   I always loved that the little tiny baby was not attached to the manger. 

When Gimme was little, I bought a Nativity that she played with.  As we have had more children, they have each taken a turn playing with the wooden figurines.  It’s obvious (with the the chipped paint, broken limbs, etc.) that this set had been well loved.  I still display it, with the others that I have inherited or purchased over the years.  (This year, I bought the Fisher Price Little People version for the kids to play with.  You’ll understand after I post about Double Bogey.  Stay tuned.)  I keep hoping that the importance and true meaning of Christmas will somehow permeate from the displays into my children’s hearts (because we all know how those “meaningful” Family Home Evenings go…;).