Christmas Time

Last weekend, the Friday after Thanksgiving, Jude, J.P. and I got our Christmas tree.  At halftime of the Tennessee-Kentucky game (UT's first loss to UK in 26 years, but that's another sad, sad story), Jude's dad, Jim, and I brought the Christmas tree in and put it in the stand.  That in itself was a much more enjoyable experience than normal, since Jude and I usually struggle to put the tree up, especially with J.P. underfoot.

J.P. was dead set on decorating the Christmas tree Saturday, so much so that he was really, really pissed when we told him we'd do to it Sunday.  Needless to say, he was ecstatic when I brought the box of Christmas ornaments up from the basement Sunday afternoon, after church.  I had forgotten how much he enjoyed getting the ornaments out of the box and handing them to us last year.  This time around, he was bouncing up and down and waving his hands as we opened up the box of ornaments.  He couldn't wait to fine his favorite ornament - a "Smokey" figurine (UT's mascot).  

One by one, he took the ornaments out of the box and hung them carefully on the Christmas, mostly in the same spot on a low hanging branch.  Within a few minutes, the branch in question was almost touching the ground, loaded down with all of his favorite ornaments (including Smokey).  When we finished decorating the tree, J.P. laid down on the floor, on his stomach, and just stared at the Smokey ornament.  Jude and I looked at each other and laughed.

Later, after his nap, we unpacked our other boxes of Christmas decorations.  Again, J.P. really got a kick out of lifting each decoration out of the box, smiling in wonderment each time.  It really made me appreciate Christmas even more to see him so excited to decorate the tree and the house.