This year it was hard for me to get into the spirit of Christmas.  Probably because we were so busy for the month between Thanksgiving and Christmas.  And we traveled to Florida for a week.  I am sorry all you people who live in warm climates, but it just does not seem like Christmas when it is hot, sunny, and I am wearing flip-flops.

The snowman decorations seemed incongruous with the heat.

We ended up using a fake tree this year.  The first time ever.  And not even a really nice fake tree either.  I bought it on 90% off clearance at the end of last season with the intention of putting it up as a second tree in our family room.  I have always wanted a second tree to be in the room we spend most of our time.  I feel like we don’t get to fully ENJOY the tree since we always put it in the front formal area of our house.

But I really didn’t want to spend a lot of money on a fake tree.

Anyway, this is all a  long-winded way of explaining why we ended up with just a sad skinny fake tree when two ice/snow storms hit and buried all the tree farms  in more snow and ice than I wanted to dig out.  And I will admit that I was disappointed.  I love my big fat real tree that is always too big.  Always too fat.  And always dies because I forget to water it.

We set it up and I felt disappointed in myself and all the little ways I feel that I fail.

But as my children went through the ornaments and danced and sang the Christmas songs that I have been working so hard at avoiding this year in my grinch-like state, I realized that none of it mattered to them. They were filled with the holiday spirit and I discovered that it was contagious. They had enough to share with me.

My daughter pulling a bell ornament out of the box and saying, “I STILL BELIEVE!”

Yup, I found my joy. And here’s hoping that you found yours also.