Posted on 12/24/2005 10:12:14 AM PST by eeevil conservative
I am sure I grew up with many of the same memories as many of you. Christmas was magical. The music and lights of the season made my heart leap with love, excitement, and anticipation. We remember the food, relatives, and traditions. I can still feel the hope I felt as a child. You know, that swell in your soul that made you want to do cartwheels for no reason other than utter joy of the season.
I recall those mornings when one of us awoke and ran through the house, “Wake up! Santa came! Santa came!” The whole family trotted to the tree in their slippers and robes. Once the whole family had gathered, Dad would put on the Santa hat and start passing out the gifts. We always started with our stockings. They were filled with mostly candy, jacks, chapstick, and PEZ!
I would never trade my childhood memories of Christmas, but there is ONE thing I would like to change. Next year I am THROWING OUT THE TREE!
There are plenty of stories available on the internet about how the tradition of the Christmas Tree started. I don’t care which one of them is correct, or if ANY of them are correct. The tree is the place we come to find our gifts. We even place a star on top, or an angel- symbolizing the North Star, or the angels that looked over the precious gift to the world, JESUS!
Next year I am going to place our gifts in a MANGER. YES! Next year, we will have a nativity scene in our living room with a manger. I want my children to remember (as they gather for their gifts) the REAL reason we are celebrating. We are celebrating GOD’s GIFT to US, to the WORLD. That gift is JESUS. A manger is perfect for this day, after all- a manger is where God delivered HIS gift.
And yet your determined to not pass on the wonderful experiences you had as a child at Christmas even tho you obviously grew up Christian despite having a Christmas tree instead of a manger. I'm baffled to say the least.
I have a HUGE nativity set AND a tree. Why not have both?
(actually I have nativity sets all over my house and not just at Christmas)
and btw...tonight the baby gets put in the manger!
We always had a Manger centered under the tree. The gifts were placed around it.
Put the nativity in front of the tree and then put the presents around it.
Nothing to be baffled about...
My kids LIKE the idea. We talked about it, they think it is a cool idea!
I am not robbing my kids of anything, I am just offering them something different. The TREE is not important. If my parents put the gifts under an ironing board, the rest of the memories would be the same.
I can replant trees with my children without it being Christmas....
that's an interesting idea ... i remember our best Christmas tree was in 2001... we had moved back from North Carolina and were in an apartment waiting for our house to sell... we had no room for a tree so i brought home a 6 ft by 2 ft sheet of paper and we all drew and decorated a tree on it and then tacked to the wall... it's still my favorite tree after these years
I think it's a great idea. No one says you HAVE to have a tree. I love tree decorating myself, so my tree stays!
Your screen name and your post seem to conflict though - it's got me a bit puzzled. So are you naughty or nice? Don't lie now! (Merry Christmas, eeevil person!) Somehow that doesn't sound right...... :)
My Easter Bunny's name is STEW.
Well as long as your kids are fine with it then I don't reckon there is anything wrong with it. I guess I just assumed this was what you were doing regardless of your children.
I've been enlightened. :-)
LOL! Actually I do everything with them as the forethoughts in my mind...
We EACH got to "create" a new tradition this year. My six year old decided we would hang candy canes on the tree every Christmas Eve. My 5 year old decided we all had to have hot chocolate on Christmas Eve (the six yr old opted for egg nog instead) and y 16 yr old son decided we all have to watch TOMBSTONE on Christmas Day after dinner. (We love that movie! Especially when Doc does his little cup tricks!!- LOL!)
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Oh- yeah- and I opted that instead of leaving Santa cookies and egg nog- that we leave him beer and pretzles...
LOL! They laughed and reminded me that the reindeer might guide the sleigh, but Santa might mix up the gifts!!!! LOL!
oh- well.....can't win them all!
Do you have any tips for keeping the trees alive? We put the tree outside (it lost quite a few needles as we were getting it out the door and fear it is now dead). I am tempted to put it on the front porch next year if we try this again -- that way it will get some sunlight, not so much dry heat...
first- don't panic!
they always lose a lot of needles!
second- re-plainting them is quite a shock for them. Be sure to keep the burlap on them- untie it, but keep the burlap on.
Dig a BIG hole, go to Pikes and get a big bottle of Restart or Regenerate (forget which- maybe called both), dilute with water- use lots of water and the regenerate/restart solution.....
Hope all goes well with your re-planting!
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!
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