It’s hard to believe that the holiday season is already upon us! November is full of excitement as we prepare for the festivities ahead. Yes, Thanksgiving will be here before we know it! The turkeys, pies, and table arrangements will certainly be on our minds this month. Along with all the Thanksgiving prep, getting a head start on Christmas can be a big part of November. I know some people who can’t wait one more day and decorate for Christmas on November 1st, but as much as Christmas fills my heart, we just have to leave a little time in the month for Thanksgiving before my family decorates. (even if I am already singing Christmas carols!) There are definitely Christmas related things I do this month such as gift planning and Christmas card ordering, but my family likes to wait a few more weeks to put up that special symbol of Christmas. When that tree goes up, I nearly burst with joy and anticipation for the month ahead. The soft glow of the lights, the meaningful and mismatched ornaments, and the memories that the tree represent are just magical.
Growing up, my family always went to the tree farm the day after Thanksgiving. I would beg for the biggest tree we could find; we would watch our dad wrestle it onto the car roof and tie it down, then we would head home for some clam chowder and decorate the tree with the Charlie Brown Christmas album cheerfully playing in the background. Sometimes the light strands were out, my brothers and I fought over white lights or colored, or an ornament broke. One year we got such a massive tree that it tipped over in the living room spilling water everywhere and scratching the wall-but I loved every second of it. It was quite possibly my favorite day of the year besides Christmas Day, and still is! Getting the tree up feels like the official start of the Christmas season.
I couldn’t wait to continue that tradition when my husband and I got married. He was deployed to Iraq during our first Christmas as a married couple, and after that we had a small apartment and a small budget which resulted in a small tree that fit cozily on our end table. It was a huge change to miss out on that tree farm experience, but I loved that little tree and our special “Our First Christmas” ornaments.
Once we had kids, I was beyond excited to head out to the tree farm with them each year on the day after Thanksgiving and give them the same magical experience I had growing up. With our first and second kids in tow that went rather smoothly, but by the time our third son was two, things were a little more chaotic! It was a chilly, sunny morning in late November. We strolled along the fragrant rows of Douglas Firs, Spruces, and Nobles. Our six- and eight-year-olds were so excited to find the perfect tree and help saw it down. It didn’t matter that we forgot the saw and gloves in the chaos of getting out the door…we were going to have a lovely morning at the tree farm! Que the two-year-old.
PC: Maria Magee
Our sweet, adorable, unreasonable two-year-old. If you’ve ever been around a male toddler, you know that they love to push and pull things. The wagon at the tree farm was no exception. The only problem was that there were inches of mud and tree stumps everywhere. Was he able to pull and maneuver the wagon? No. Was this an acceptable outcome in his toddler-mind? No. We tried to get him to enjoy a ride on the wagon while his brother pulled him instead, but his blood-curdling screams made it clear that wasn’t going to work. As it usually does with little ones on an outing, the clock started to tick. We hurried to find a suitable tree, rushing through the rows while snot and tears poured from his face. The fury in his beautiful blue eyes could not be tamed and no special snack from my purse was going to calm the storm. My plans of having a fun morning and a nice family picture taken at the tree farm were quickly coming unraveled. I felt bad for the families wandering through the trees also trying to enjoy the experience, who were probably wondering what could have caused such a scene. We found the tree, cut it down, got it home in a hurry, and put our youngest down for nap. Phew. We made it.
Fortunately, the next year our experience was seamless! We bought an artificial tree. Believe me, I never thought the day would come when I didn’t go to the tree farm with my children. It has always held such a special place in my heart. Full of nostalgia and sweet holiday memories. I was against fake trees for years and couldn’t imagine not smelling that pleasant pine scent every time I walked into the room. It didn’t seem like it would be as special if it wasn’t real. Somewhere between the tree farm meltdown, the sap, the pine needles, and the cat climbing the tree every day, we decided it was best for our family to maintain our sanity and make a change to simplify life where we could. Guess what? It didn’t take away from our Christmas spirit one bit. It didn’t matter whether the tree was real or fake, what mattered was what the tree meant to us and what it symbolized. Hope, joy, peace, and the light that Jesus brought into this world.
With our fourth son now a toddler, I doubt we will be going back to cut down our own tree anytime soon and I am more than okay with that! What are your Christmas tree traditions? Are you crazy about fresh-cut trees or do you prefer artificial? No matter what you and your family choose, just remember the JOY is what matters. Jesus, the greatest gift this world will ever know, is what matters. Whether you have a tiny apartment-sized tree, a giant Douglas Fir falling across your living room, or anything in-between. Your kids won’t think any less of their Christmas if you ever need to change things up to fit your family and bring more peace to your holiday season.
“O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree, How lovely are thy branches!”
If you’re looking for a way to help your children understand the significance of some of our Christmas tree symbols as you decorate this year, here are a few!
- The star that we place on the top of the tree represents the Star of Bethlehem, also known as the Christmas Star, that the wise men followed to praise our newborn King. (Matthew 2:1-2)
- Angels are often placed on top of the tree because in the Nativity story, they announced the birth of Jesus! (Luke 2:8-14)
- The evergreen tree represents eternal life because it remains green all year-round. The candles (or lights) that we place on them are to symbolize Jesus Christ being the light of the world.
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Read more of Maria’s contributions to AllMomDoes here.
