Christmas spirit overload

For whatever reason, I have been SUPER excited for Christmas this year, even more than usual. So excited, in fact, that I started listening to Christmas music the week of Thanksgiving. Not just after Thanksgiving, but the week of! And we got out our Christmas decorations the Sunday after Thanksgiving. I usually make it a point to wait until it is officially December, but not this year. I don't know if it's because I have been doing some Christmas crafting or because I finished editing our Christmas-themed magazines in October, but I am absolutely in the Christmas spirit already. Sometimes Christmas comes and goes so quickly that I feel like I missed it by the time January rolls around, so I am determined to really enjoy every minute of this holiday season.

And in that spirit, we already have our tree up. Both Tim and I love real trees, so we make it work to fork over the money every year. (Last year we cut down our own tree, and though I would have repeated that experience, the rest of my family vetoed.) And since the Herrick family is spending Christmas with us, we thought it only fitting that the brothers waking up here on Christmas morning should get to participate in the tree-decorating too.

Before we got started:


These boys can be so silly sometimes...


It took three of them to put on the lights: Christian to throw the lights on the tree, Tim to place them carefully, and Rob to carry the slack. It was a three-ring circus right in our living room, especially when Tim got dizzy from staring at the tree while moving in a circle and fell over.


With all of us (and Matt) decorating, it got done really quickly and the results were simply lovely:



And then inspired by the projects I work with for our magazines, Tim and I made this easy wreath for our door:


We got the ornaments from IKEA and just used an old white wire hanger we had around the house. Very easy, and the ribbon at the top is the same ribbon we wrapped around the tree for a nice coordinating touch.

I love the twinkling lights and special traditions and keepsake decorations that mean Christmas. I love the music and the smells and the projects. I love spending time with my family and I love all the goodness and kindness that this season celebrates. And believe me when I say, I am going to celebrate!