Last year Charlie had little Christmas lights in his eyes for the first time; he saw the tree and tried to touch but couldn't quite reach. This year there was nothing - short of suspending either it or him from the ceiling - that we were ever going to do to stop him reaching for the baubles. So we thought we'd make a virtue of necessity and let him help out with the decorating. Well, sort of. He enjoyed himself. Even if Sally and Sarah did move most of the tinsel when he wasn't looking.
This post is part of Violet Posy's Christmas Decoration Carnival. Do pop over there and take a look at the other splendid entries. It's a bit like walking past a dozen wonderfully festive-looking houses. Only without the risk of getting frostbite.
I am sitting in my dark living room with only the Xmas tree lights to cast shadows. It is magical. I wish I had the nerve to have the tree up all year long. I always get so depressed when all the little twinkles and sparkles have been shoved into recycle bags/boxes under the stairs.
ReplyDeleteYou can't beat Christmas through the eyes of a little one.
ReplyDeleteI did as you suggested and sent my post and tree photo to Violet Posy's carnival - you're right, it was heart-warming to see everyone's decorations.
We keep ours up extra-long Nicola... almost to the end of January. And all that 'bad-luck' beyond twelfth night stuff is phooey when you realised twelfth night for us is actually only Christmas Day in the Julian calendar!
ReplyDeleteGlad you enjoyed the other posts, Trish! And you're right about seeing it through the eyes of children. As Laurie Lee once said about Christmas with his baby daughter... 'this year will be the first time for both of us'
That brings back such good memories... we used to put an old wooden playpen around the Xmas tree at home to prevent 'little fingers' from exploring the shiny stuff to closely! heh heh
ReplyDeleteOur little un had a single of day of treating the Christmas tree like a piƱata but then decided to ignore it... though he does occasionally give the baubles a quick tug and a squeeze to see if they're chocolate...
ReplyDeleteWe did the same last year Mal, but I wasn't convinced that Charlie wouldn't try to climb over it, or pole-vault it or tunnel under it this year... So it's open access. And no baubles broken so far, Steve!
ReplyDeleteThis soooo lovely! I love to see the magic in their eyes when the tree goes up :)
ReplyDeleteMagic is the word, PHM. You can just about still hear Charlie's old-fashioned 'ooos' and 'ahhhs' on the vid, although I missed the best one, when the 'pitty larts' first went on!
ReplyDeleteAwww- thats it - I'm getting a tree this weekend - I'm tried of following my Mums tradition because she couldn't be bothered buying a tree before christmas eve and getting on this weekend. It can be the weekend after school ends tradition now :)
ReplyDeleteMaddy Prior added exactly the right touch to this festive activity - sadly, both words and pictures come across with huccups, on my computer, but I can imagine the perfect version, if I concentrate hard! lol :)
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great new tradition has been born, April. Don't forget to post a video!
ReplyDeleteYou'll have to try when it isn't snowing, Jinksy. Or when the USA is asleep. Or maybe when there aren't the wrong kind of leaves on the 'phone line!
Delightful. Thank you for inviting me into your home. It feels very Christmasy. And the boy done good!
ReplyDeleteSono un amore! Simply beautiful children! Wish you all a Merry Christmas. I'm off tomorrow to Italy, if I can get to the airport, of course as it's snowing heavily here! All the best. Ciao. A.
ReplyDeleteLovely video Tim. Makes me think I should have been brave and put up the big tree! Merry Christmas :-)
ReplyDeleteFabulous! Wishing you and your family a spectacularly fun holiday, Tim! xo
ReplyDeleteHe gets by with a little help from his friends, DD. As somebody once sang...
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful Italian Christmas Antonella!
There's still time, Sandy. Go on... you know you want to.
Thanks Sue, and the very best of the season to you and yours, too.
Ahhh lovely! Ethan keeps deconstructing our perfectly decorated creation.
ReplyDelete:)
ah thats so lovely. Love his little "oh yeah" when he gets the decs out.
ReplyDeleteHope you all have a lovely Christmas
Oh I just loved this video and post...thank you thank you...I have no Grandies and this was the sweetest...
ReplyDeleteThank you Selfish blogger for the referral
Thanks IM. Our tree has suffered very little so far (I know, I'm tempting fate) although a few baubles have been rearranged. Mind you, I wouldn't describe our tree as 'perfectly decorated' so there's always room for improvement!
ReplyDeleteThat little 'oh yeah' seems to have become a trait of Charlie's recently, SM. That and a really old-fashioned sounding 'oooooh' which is so full of Christmas wonder I keep expecting Tiny Tim to appear.
Delighted, Patricia. Thanks for stopping by and for taking the trouble of commenting. And recommended by Selfish Blogger, you say?
Loved the vid - made me feel quite Christmassy. And Steeleye Span (wasn't it?) just right.
ReplyDeleteCharlie in action again - and extra sweet sounding with that English accent! I love the gobs of tinsel he put on. This brought back such good memories of my own blonde boys when they were little. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteMaddy Prior, Brother T, but in her post-Steeleye incarnation... from a CD of folk-carols we were listening to as the tree went up.
ReplyDeleteHis method needs some refinement to be sure, Rebecca, but the accent's all there. No-one says 'oh no' quite like he does...
Always a good idea to let the kids help out with the tree. They won't want to spoil all their hard work.
ReplyDeleteCJ xx
Nothing like starting them young! It takes practise to learn tree decoration.
ReplyDeleteThat's a great theory Kathryn... and it seems to be working. Which isn't to say there isn't still a lot of tinkering!
ReplyDeleteSure does, CW, and he's getting plenty of it. Not a day goes by without the need for some minor adjustment!