Fa La La La La

Feast your eyes on the tree that won't die.

Yes...this tree is 30 years old...at least.

In my mom and dad's house there hangs a picture of my then tiny brother sitting by this tree looking up at it adoringly...and he's 30 now.

For the last several (9) years, I have not put up a major Christmas tree. I know that is simply appalling to my Christmas Crazy friends... You know who you are...you folks that have a tree in every room...I am praying for you..anyway.... With just Chris and myself, it just seemed silly. Last year, I put up a Charlie Brown tree that I snagged at the Family Dollar for $15. It was pretty, but just didn't have the magnitude of this dude

Sydney was 10 months old at Christmas time last year and truly just didn't "get it." She was barely walking and pretty much ignored the tree. We had to open her gifts for her...nuff said.

But...this year... is a whole 'nother story.

I was determined to bring 'ol Faithful out of my mom's attic (the attic with beams that will attack your cranium with no warning) and set 'er up in my living room. My husband protested, "We are not rearranging the living room for a tree. That is crazy." To his chagrin, the rocking chair relocated to the other side of the living room to make space for the mighty tree.

As I was assembling Gertrude, it was discovered that the piece that slips into the center pole which attached the tree top was missing. My mother who is the queen of "rigging" came over and with the help of wire, Styrofoam, and good 'ol fashioned ingenuity, we got 'er done.

I have lights and I know how to use them. There are 600 mini lights on this tree and at least 100 big whoppers. Gaudy? Yes!

After hours of stringing lights and decorating, my little one finally resuscitated herself from her coma-like nap. She walked into the living room and said, "Hi!" to the tree. She then walked up to the lights, touched them gingerly and murmured, "Hot!"

I asked her, "Do you like your pretty tree?" (Cause I did this for her to begin with...)

Her reply? "Happy!" and baby applause...

Definitely worth it all.