It has taken me years to perfect the science and artistry of decorating the perfect Christmas tree. Lights first: the aesthetic balance of depth and surface glow. Then shimmery garlands: red and gold tulle and crystalline strands perfectly aligned as they cascade down and around the tree. Last the ornaments: every sparkly red and glittered gold ball on a different latitudinal and longitudinal plane from its peers. It's obnoxious, right? But beautiful.
December is a time for reflecting on the year gone by, and if I have learned anything this year, it is that sometimes things don't go as planned, that sometimes the sought-after life can actually become really plastic, and that often the best memories are spontaneously organic. And I realized that our family Christmas tree should be a reflection of our family!
So down came all of the glamour and glitz, and instead, we pulled out all of the children's handmade ornaments from various projects at church, school and home. And the girls and I sat down together and strung cranberries and popcorn. Husband even took it upon himself to make us a star from old twigs and twine!
Today, as I scan the landscape of days past, I am thankful for every difficult lesson that shattered a little more of the plastic in my life. I am thankful for the unexpected joys that are found in the humblest moments. And as I look at our newly refurbished Christmas tree, I am reminiscing of tiny hands gluing tiny sequins onto a Popsicle stick tree, and I am thankful for homespun happiness. Merry Christmas!
