A Tree

I'm tying his elf cap under his chin, pulling mittens onto little hands, zipping coats and out the door they tumble, oldest one buckling them into car seats. Tiny flakes swirl and I tell the husband "I can't hold them off any longer! Its time, let's go!" I wrap a long scarf around and around, step out into frigid air.

A quick stop at the atm and then off to the same tree place we go every year - the same place I went when I was one of the kids being handed a candy cane to lick while selecting the tree.

We tell the kids the type of tree we like and point them in the right direction of the size we need, and let them pick it out.  Every year, they choose the perfect one.

This time is no different - they find it in a record 5 minutes and in no time it is loaded onto the top of our car.  Each face is a sticky, peppermint flavored one, and they're singing Christmas songs all the way home.

At home, Joboy is underfoot at every turn, absolutely astonished when Daddy brings a tree through the side door, sets it up on the stand.  Last year he was just a little baby.  This year he runs circles around the house shouting "The tree!  The tree!  The tree!!"

I get the lights up that evening, and the kids start their decorating.  A tree in my home is for the children to decorate the way they want it.  Thus, it won't resemble anything you'll find in any magazine or display.  It would never be featured in "Better Homes and Gardens," but that's just fine with me.

I don't need a tree.  I don't need lights or ornaments.  I certainly don't need to go out and stand in the cold picking one out each year, and I could probably spend that money elsewhere as well.  But that's all irrelevant, because the tree isn't for me.  I consider it to be just another gift we give to our kids each year - the gift of family time, experiences, mess and magic and marvelous-ness.  Its worth it, don't you think?