Okay, I know it is December 27th and Christmas is offcially over, but we have had a wonderful Chritmas, and I am now finally going to blog about the things that I have been wanting to blog about, but didn’t have the time. 

First up—the tree.

I like white Christmas lights.  I like the ornaments to coordinate and the wrapping paper to match and the lights to be white.  Not multi-colored, and not blinking. 

This is my tree from last year.

Last year, I knew it would be my last “white light” year.  As much as I love the tree to be decorated just right, this is Clay’s year.  Clay is two and I’m pretty sure he would rather have colored lights any day. 

I’m also pretty sure that an important part of being a mom is letting go of perfection, or at least your idea of perfection, sometimes.

When I was growing up our tree ornaments were mainly bought from fundraisers or we painted them.  We strung popcorn, and made construction paper links—the works.  Tim coated his with huge colored lights and lots and lots of tinsel. 

I want Clay to have fun memories of our Christmas tree.  I want him to show his little boy one day the ornaments he painted with grandma.  (Yes, sometimes I think that way.)  You never know what his first memory will be.  But he’s got a lot to choose from this month!

I did have to take a bit of the excess tinsel off, but I don’t think the tree turned out half bad!! 

So what if it’s not the way I would have done it.  I’m trying to let go of the way I would do things more and let things be done more simply, or done differently, or just plain done.  As long as I get to listen to my Christmas CD copies of the albums we listened to when I was little, I’m a happy camper.  Come on now, there are some things I just can’t give on! J