This year we made it two weeks. But once again, down it came. Booooo!
We had high hopes that every was old enough this year to maintain a respectful Christmas tree distance from the corner where the tree sat. For the first couple of days all was well, but by the 3rd day the tree had been stripped of all its ornaments.
Then the drumming began.
Manny obsessively drums on any and all surfaces of our house with any and all random objects he finds lying around. He especially likes spatulas. He drummed on the branches of our tree so much that he broke several of the pre-lit tree lights off and I was afraid someone was going to get electrocuted. He was also causing it to shed the hideous white faux pine needles and we were finding them all over the house. And in our boys twists. Uggggg!
So finally, the tree came down. We had naked tree corner for about a week, but when I started wrapping Christmas presents and the idea of no tree to put them under was just too depressing. So I bought this.
Yes, I realize it is a lame substitute for a Christmas tree, but it cost less than $20 and has no electric parts. If they kill it this Christmas it won't hurt my feelings too much. And the adorable Santa that one of my students gave me is awfully festive.
We're going to try and hit the day after Christmas sales and get a nice new tree for next year. Or maybe the year after that.
On a sort of related note, at Sunday school last week Haven told another little boy that Santa wasn't real. Oops! For our take on the Santa story check out this past blog entry No Grace, There is No Santa Claus. Maybe this is why we can't keep a tree up. We can't threaten out kids with the "naughty list".
By the way, besides re-cleaning Louise's closet (yes, she did it again) I got absolutely nothing accomplished on my de-cluttering today. But I did take a nap. Ahhhhh, vacation!!!