We lost Baby Jesus. More on that later.
Meanwhile, Friday, I left my house by 8 a.m. to shop. Of course, arriving three hours post-store-opening meant some of the things I attempted to buy were sold out, but I am not insane like some people who get in line at 1 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day so they can spend all night in the cold and then shop at dawn. No. Not me. I was snug in my bed at 5 a.m. when someone else was buying the Knights Lego set for $49.99 that I wanted.
I shopped for awhile, then took a break and saw “Stranger than Fiction,” which was an odd but enjoyable movie. I haven’t seen any other Will Ferrell movies, so I have no way of measuring his latest performance against his prior performances, but I thought he was good in the movie.
After the movie (and popcorn, yum), I shopped a little more before returning home at 4 p.m. (a full hour before my “curfew,” I’ll have you know).
Saturday while my daughter went to a birthday party and rest of my family went out to dinner, I insisted on staying home so I could put up the outdoor decorations. An hour and a half later, I finished and began to frantically wrap gifts at the kitchen table. I finished before my daughter returned home. My mother watched and marvelled at my speed, but I told her that I work quickly, not neatly. After all, the kids won’t examine the seams on the gifts before they tear off the paper.
Sunday means church and this weekend was no exception. Afterwards, I dragged out boxes of decorations and put up the indoor decorations, including our fake tree. I never thought I’d be the kind of person who owned a fake Christmas tree, but I have to say that the cost-effectiveness and ease of a fake tree has polluted my former convictions about the necessity of a Real Tree. We’ve used it for nine years now, so each year cost us about $10. And I can put it up fast. The kids put all the ornaments on it, so it’s all haphazard and uneven, but if you squint your eyes, it just looks twinkly and pretty.
I’ve spent the day doing laundry, explaining how to find the perimeter of various shapes to my 13-year old boys and answering email. Now, already, it’s time to make dinner . . . the darkness outside makes the lights inside seem to glow more fiercely. Soon, the shortest day of the year will arrive and then light will overcome darkness again, bit by bit, minute by minute. Funny how you can move forward in time without feeling like you’re moving at all.
Actual Unretouched Photo 
Sounds like a busy but wonderful Thanksgiving weekend. I give you props for the Black Friday shopping. I did it twice and don’t ever want to do it again. One of those times I was 8 months preggers and people actually pushed me out of the way to get their stuff. Not very full of the Christmas spirit.
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But – What about the Baby Jesus?
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My brother-in-law was one of those “crazy” people who slept at the Best Buy parking lot to get a lap top computer. I would not have done that is they were giving them away. We went up to check on him a couple of times and I was astonished at the people who where there. One guy had pitched a tent and was having pizza delivered. Wow. I must confess that I was at Target by 5:30 AM. A good time was had by all and no one was pushed or shoved.
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You wrap like me. I really don’t care how messy it is because it won’t remain on long enough to bother with it.
I can’t do the fake tree thing yet. I’m getting more and more tempted, but I’m just not there yet. But if I ever do, I’m getting one with the lights already on it!
So glad you accomplished so much in a few days. That, in and of itself, is a huge blessing.
And I really can’t believe you lost baby Jesus. That’s like loosing your religion…
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Didn’t your daughter take baby Jesus home after the pageant last year? Maybe he’s (He’s?) under the bed? Or in a drawer with some stuffed animals?
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My husband and I agree that our children actually can decorate our tree in such a beautiful way that I will never redo it as other parents are known to do. This says a lot since I am quite compulsive. Our tree always looks wonderful after the children get ahold of it. Even down to the youngest who is only a year and a half now!
And ditto for the wrapping. Who cares what it looks like? My mother in law will spend $3.00 on a box just to wrap it like a store does. What’s the point???
Blessings in Christ,
Mrs. Garcia
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We saw Stranger Than Fiction too, and enjoyed it. This was a much more subdued Will Ferrell, not as juvenile as his previous movies. He got good reviews in this movie.
We got our first fake tree when our oldest daughter was born….we told ourselves it was the “safety” factor. A couple years ago we sprung for the pre-lit tree….my least favorite part of putting up the tree has always been stringing the lights so I LOVE the pre-lit tree. Makes things much easier.
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