Christmas Tree, 2009

Missing out on a tradition, even one you have professed to dislike, is never fun. Once something becomes a tradition it just feels like something you should do and the routine of it all makes it fun.

For the past four or five years we've bought and put up our Christmas tree the same way. The steps are unchanging and suggesting even a slight alteration to the routine is usually met with no small amount of angst from some member of the family. These are the steps: 1) eat breakfast at some greasy spoon, 2) spend an absurd amount of time at a Christmas tree farm scoping out different trees, marking some, comparing others and trekking back and forth between finalists before finally choosing one and 3) take the tree home and spend the rest of the day decorating it.

It's a fun day and while I'm not overly fond of step two, I enjoy the day. It's worth noting that step two is Joe's favorite step.

Well, this year we had to change the tradition a bit. Poor Elisabeth Jane was still sick and, so, I stayed home with Caroline and Elisabeth while Joe took Madeleine and Hank out for steps one and two.

Madeleine and Hank pulling the newly chosen tree towards the car.



Caroline watching us decorate the tree.



Poor Elisabeth sleeping while we decorated the tree.



The final step, the placement of the star (we actually have a note in our star box telling us which kid's turn it is the next year).



And, finally, the finished tree.