Christmas in a box???

My husband was excited when I told him that I was putting up the Christmas tree tonight....his excitement turned to complete and utter shock when I told him that our Christmas tree was artificial (ok, it's FAKE) and that it was in a box in the storage closet!

After my travels to Denmark, I totally understand his surprise... Denmark is like the land of Christmas trees....they are growing on every hillside you see for miles and miles...it's AMAZING!

So as I put together my tree (yes, Mads, it comes in SECTIONS and you have to put them together!!) , I thought about Christmas next year. Mads has told me about how we will actually go out into the countryside and cut down our own tree.... VERY Laura Ingalls Wilder! I cannot wait! But for now, I have a tree... a lovely tree...that sits in a large box the other eleven months of the year.

So here is how my night has gone.... the tree was up....Albert was closely underfoot while Emmitt supervised. I had 103.7 the Christmas station playing as I began unpacking my nostalgia. Emotions were flowing, as were a fear tears..... I carefully unwrapped the ornament of Jess' tiny handprint as a kindergartner ...... the reindeer ornaments that my MeMe Rogers sewed for me before she went to heaven because I had started my version of sewing them but unfortunately, was not as talented as she was!

I hung one of my most favorite ornaments (can you guess why it's a fave?!) in a very prominent position for all the world to see!

And then after I hung up all the old ornaments with all the old memories, I unwrapped my two new ornaments.... the first was a wedding gift from my friends in DK, Nichole and Michael-- a Georg Jensen 2007 golden bell (I told Mads we needed an ornament for our first Christmas together.... and the Pates took care of that!)
and the second was one that will be precious to me for many many years to come....it was the first gift I ever received from Taimi, my svigermor (mother-in-law). It is a Karen Blixen Jul ornament...
Karen Blixen, the author of Out of Africa, who is (did you know??!!) from Denmark. In fact, on my first visit to Denmark last year, Mads made sure we visited her museum because he knows of my fascination about Africa ...especially Kenya...which was where Blixen lived for many years while she was writing.

So our tree for Jul 2007 is ready.... with ornaments, both old and new. The stockings are hung, although not by a chimney and the Christmas spirit is in the air. 24 days till Christmas, but even better than that, 18 days till my husband arrives so he can see it all in person!