Too Much of a Good Thing: how lovely are thy branches

We do not appreciate fake around here. Sure there is a time and a place for artificial enhancement, but that is not during the celebration of 8lb 6oz infant baby Jesus. Every year, we go and walk through the rows of sweet smelling, sticky, giant trees and look for the one who belongs in our living room. For the past 5 years, we have gone to this gas station in Raleigh that sells trees out of their parking lot. Sure it's not a festive, cocoa sipping, holiday music playing tree farm. But we get a 6 foot tree for $29. It's about give and take, my friends.

This year, I could not wait to see Lila's face at those big trees so I made Brian go a whole week earlier than normal. But of course, it had dropped 20 degrees that afternoon and it was getting dark so it was a fast, blanket wrapped, hat wearing trip for the baby. We finally made it home with the tree and despite all my plans, Lila passed out before any trimming could be had. We did the next best thing and put on a Christmas movie, poured a big glass of wine and went to work.

Sometimes, holidays throw you some surprises, like when you open the decorations box that was lovingly stored in the attic all year and find that the sugar cookie candle has melted all over your wreath. Or when your husband does not understand the cinematic masterpiece that was "All I Want For Christmas" with Thora Birch and Ethan Embry circa 1991 (Snowball! Snowball!) Or when you are about to online order a stocking for your new baby and your husband lifts a ballerina stocking out of one of the boxes and says, "Hey, didn't you buy this at a year end Pottery Barn sale for Lila while you were pregnant last year?" But in the end, when the mantle is full of santas, the fire is roaring and the room is filled with twinkling lights, it is all worth it.