Scrooge Lives Here!

I've never been so late getting Christmas decorations up. Never. The tree is usually up Saturday or Sunday after Thanksgiving and finished by Monday night for Family Home Evening. All the other decorations come out that same week and the house is decked out in red, green, and gold.

Well, not this year.

Scrooge lives here.

I know he's tired when he gets home from work, but it's not that big of a deal to bring the tree in from the garage (or is it?). If I had a big enough house, I could just leave the tree decorated all year, wrap a giant tree bag over it and store it decorated and all. But I'm not like some people I know (my mom), so I have to take apart the tree every year. And it's my fault for wanting a 7 and 1/2 foot pre-lit tree. That sucker is heavy! But it is finally up and sort of decorated. I've had a lot of help this year.

I'm not sure what the fascination is for McKay with wrapping and unwrapping the ribbon and relocating the ornaments. Today I caught him stuffing Kilee's stuffed penguin as far in the tree as he possibly could. So much for a pretty tree, but at least it's up! This year we have two trees. We finally have one in the basement that is the kids' tree. Tanner and Kilee spent one whole evening making paper chains to put on it. It has a mish-mash of ornaments from years past. I let the kids decorate it and do whatever with it. It's theirs. McKay, of course, thinks the one upstairs is his.

On Sunday I must have complained enough because the rest of the Christmas decorations came in from the garage. Now we have my nativities and my Old World Santa.

This nativity came to me from Bethlehem. My student, Dina Khair, was born and raised in Bethlehem. She went home for six weeks this summer and asked me what I wanted her to bring me. I requested a nativity. This is olive wood and beautiful.

This nativity I've had for a long time. The kids like playing with the pieces.

This old world Santa (on the left) I've had since I was 19 (16 years - probably the thing I've owned the longest). It was a gift from my friend and co-worker, Charlene, who did ceramics in her spare time. This is priceless to me and my kids DO NOT get to touch it. They do, however, get to play with the nativity snow globe and the stackable doll Santa things.

My Christmas clock plays a different carol each hour and Scrooge sometimes gets annoyed when it plays late at night or early in the morning. As for me, it gives me a new carol to hum each hour.

The stockings (not the family, just the ones Santa uses) are hanging. (English note: Did you know that the past tense of "hang" is "hanged" not "hung"? So really, the poem should be "The stockings were hanged by the chimney with care." I know, if you look closely, my blog title is wrong. But I figured I'd get less comments if I used the common vernacular "hung" and not the grammatically correct "hanged". Most people don't know and would think I was stupid for saying "hanged" when really, THEY are the ones who don't know. I just didn't want to make any of you feel stupid, K?)

Look! I even have some presents under the tree! Truth be told, those are all from other people (my mom and dad and Dallas and Bethany), but still! There they are! Scrooge couldn't prevent it!

What Scrooge really can't prevent, though, is the joy of children. And this one, in particular, has Scrooge wrapped around his finger. Okay- maybe his momma, too. And April. And maybe Vicki. Definitely Jason. And Nash. And probably Brad, even though Brad has no idea what to do with him.

All you have to do is grab the camera and say, "McKay, say cheese!" and Scrooge melts at the boy who stole his heart.