The season

Getting the Christmas tree is always an event. 

We have a vaulted ceiling in the great room, so we get a big one - say twelve feet.  Since the designated site is occupied forty-nine weeks of the year by bookshelves, there's a lot of work involved before the tree even comes in the door.  At the end of the season everything has to be done in reverse.

The logistics of managing a tree this size are complicated too.  It's friggin' heavy, for starters.  It requires a super-sized base.  We always anchor it to the wall, just to be on the safe side.  And the sheer number of lights involved?  Unless we win the lottery, we won't be switching to LED any time soon. 

It's a production, but by gorry when it's done it really feels like Christmas.

The kids are big enough now to help move heavy things, and this year it went quite smoothly.  We picked up the tree on Friday night.  Yesterday we brought it inside and decorated it.

It's a balsam, so the house smells delicious.  It's not the tallest tree we've ever had, but it's exceptionally full (it took the kids a full half hour to find the pickle ornament...). 

This morning's dusting of snow adds to the spirit. 

Now if I could just get inspired to write the annual family newsletter...