Deck the house

Fa-la-la-la-la  La-la-la-la

It is official Christmas at the Ritter's.  Yeah!  I love Christmas.  Not for the presents but for the atmosphere the holiday brings.  There just seems to be an overall lightness in the air for weeks.  I love it.  People are kind.  Okay, people are kind after "Black Friday" shopping.

To reflect on the shopping experience.  For me it was fine.  I did hear stories of people being trampled, then with one the EMT techs trying to save a person ended up getting trampled.  I heard of people pushing past an elderly man, nearly running him over.  I heard of 2 men being shot!  Seriously!  What item could be that important?  I found awesome deals without trampling anyone.  I just think that Black Friday has gotten way out of control.  I thought Christmas was about things much deeper than all of that.  It's just horrible that one day of shopping could cost you your life.

Back to happier, lighter fun.  There are 2 sets of Christmas decorations that go up first before the tree even gets decorated.  First is the two nutcrackers that used to belong to Grandma.  They go right next to the last picture of took of her and my girls and Grandpa before she died. Some day Autumn will inherit those.   Next is the Nativity scene Haleigh "inherited" early from my mother-in-law.  I had never been one for nativity scenes only because the only ones I would've ever bought (due to price) were so cheesey looking.  Every year Haleigh gets to put out her nativity scene.  Then the tree.........

When I first met Bob our tree was color-coordinated, every ornament store bought and placed evenly on the tree.  Now our glorious tree is more beautiful then every other tree prior to the girls.  Our tree and home are filled with home-made decorations.  Every year for the last 4 or so years we make an ornament.  Whether the materials be a store-bought kit, clay, or just old ornaments we had around the house.  We love our make-shift decorations.  It is something I hope my children pass on to theirs.