Traditions - The Tree

Traditions....I love you! Christmas is the ultimate time for family traditions! Our Christmas season opened up with the annual trip to the tree farm where we looked far and wide for the perfect tree. We are so blessed to have a fabulous location, just five miles away, to traverse to. We go each year on the day after Thanksgiving to find our family Christmas tree so we can enjoy the Christmas season as long as possible. 

It was just 20 degrees that day. No problem...we bundle up good!

But it was sunny and GORGEOUS...the day and the girls!

Too cold for this little darlin'. She had no clue why we were out tromping through the snow.

Our messenger boy...hikes back and forth to get the cutters to come

And here....is our tree!

We always see our friends who generously haul our tree home for us in their trailer!

Love Big Brother/Little Sister pics, especially lovey ones.

Aunt Yaine and Uncle Bunyon came with us. That made it even more fun!!

Our cold and happy family.

The finished product...alive with memories

I love memory trees. I love ornaments made in school or church; ornaments given from friends and family. My parents gave us an ornament every year when I was a child. Those ornaments hang on this tree. We have continued that tradition with our children and their ornaments are displayed on this tree. This is our oldest daughter's last Christmas "at home". She has a collection of ornaments to take with her when she begins her own family. The tree truly is alive with grand memories (and bare spots from toddlers constantly pulling them off - that's the fun of it, right?).

One last thought about traditions. They're supposed to be FUN and MEMORABLE. If it's more stressful, then simplify and relax, make some changes or consider skipping it one year. There's no rule that says you have to do it all. Stay tuned for more traditions on the way....

More to come...but until then, Stick-to-it!