Day 1 – Baby Stepping to Christmas

Hey Dad,

Let me just say that I love Christmas. In fact, if you were to take all my good childhood memories, at least 90% of them would have something to do with Christmas. There’s just something ‘familyish’ about the days between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Now, I know not every dad is a Christmas guy…that’s why I’m writing this. I kind of feel like it’s my destiny to help guide you to Christmas.  So here’s what I plan to do: over the next 30 days I’m going to baby-step you to Christmas. Mostly, I’ll just give you an inside look at the Wilson home…which can get might ugly at times (I just had to ‘take care’ of one of those issues a few minutes ago). It’s not always neat and pretty, but I never give up (I’m stupid like that).

First step: get a tree.

Now, I know some people wait until closer to Christmas to get their tree, but not us. We get ours the first Saturday after Thanksgiving. This year is was a day late. Since time began Wilson’s have harvested their trees from local Christmas tree farms. There’s just something wonderful about a freshly cut tree to get everyone into the spirit. Usually, we spend most of our time arguing…but that’s beside the point.

This year, we tried something different in order to save a few bucks. Years ago we went to a place where all the trees were $20. We couldn’t remember the name of the place, but after a quick email, learned the name and the location. The friend who emailed us the info added, “the selection is slim this year.”

I was OK with slim as long as the price was cheap. So we drove the 20 miles out into the boon docks and followed the signs to the Kreiter Christmas Tree Farm. We couldn’t believe our eyes. Our friend was right, the selection was slim, so slim that there was only one scraggly tree we could use (the rest were less than 4 feet tall). So we cut the only tree available and crammed it into our van having saved a whole $5 for our efforts.

Once home we got it up and later that night we decorated it with all our priceless ornaments. This is why I like Christmas, because as the kids hung their ornaments, we talked about where they got them from and which ones they liked and why they liked them…I felt a lump lodge in my throat more than once. I know that one day my very crowded tree will be ‘not so crowded‘. My eight children will grow up, get married, and take their ornaments with them…and my tree will be bare.

You know, I’m going to miss all those silly ornaments that remind me of them and our life together.

That’s why you need to get your tree up ASAP because the tree serves as a memorial and a living history to all that matters. The sooner you get it up the more time you’ve got to enjoy it.

Go cut a good one!!!

You ‘da dad,

Todd

PS – Don’t know where to cut your own tree? Google local Christmas tree farms.

PPS – Dad, don’t you dare let your wife and kids get and decorate the tree without you. Stay In the game…because real dads do Christmas.

PPPS – Throw all your ideas of what the tree should look like aside. It doesn’t matter if it’s bald on one side, leaning, or the ornaments are all bunched together. Let your kids have at it…and enjoy it all.