On Tacky Christmas Trees

Tiny fleece jammies with footies on Brother Butterfly. Slightly less tiny Christmas kitty jammies for Sister Butterfly. Our home is scented with baked orange slices. Warm yellow dal and steamed rice in their bellies.  

"Mommy! I want to decorate the tree and drink hot cocoa and listen to Christmas music, bake candy cane fudge and, and, and....!"

"Agoooo! Gah! Gah!"

Sister Butterfly had a huge to-do list this December. Most important of all: she wanted to decorate the Christmas tree all by herself. Of course this is after I had a few Christmas tree photos Pinterest pinned for inspiration. You know the kind: simple, classic, and tasteful. So the perfectionist in me hesitated. But if you know Sister Butterfly - she's a determined one. And so I set her loose with some handmade ornaments, a string of red beads, and a some sweet Ikea ornaments too.

When she was finished, it looked like she flung the beads and ornaments using a slingshot, letting everything land with zero rhyme or reason on each branch. I scratched my head, mid candy-cane fudge chew, a little dumbfounded by the pure disarray. Sister Butterfly and Brother Butterfly looked up at it in total delight. Like this tree was pure wonder and magic. 

I noticed when we left our home for a December adventure: Christmas play rehearsals (Sister Butterfly is the wisemen's sheep), a trip to the insect and energy museum, or holiday crafting with our preschool co-op, we'd return to the warm glow of this tacky looking tree. Even I was charmed; I couldn't look at it without giggling a bit. It's become a quiet corner of silliness and twinkling lights, so different from the busy world outside full of rules and places to be. 

Here's hoping you find your quiet corner of silliness and twinkling lights during this busy but magical time of year. Merry Christmas and happy holidays to you all!