Giddy as a Christmas Turkey

I love Christmas and everything that surrounds it. As soon as November hits, I am usually ready for Christmas music and lights. In Canada I can get away with it because once November comes around, Thanksgiving and Halloween are over. Since here in the States we don't celebrate Thanksgiving till the 4th Thursday in November, it sorta delays my start of the Christmas season.

One thing Chris will not let me do is put up the Christmas tree before December 1st. That is fair, but as soon as Thanksgiving is done my Christmas music is in full swing and you can't stop me. I LOVE Christmas music. I am counting down the days till next Friday when I can put on my Christmas music and sing to my hearts content.

I have always been a kid at heart. As I got older I never really grew out of loving Christmas. I struggle with the need to peek at presents yet not wanting to spoil the surprise. I love to bake cookies and build gingerbread houses. If I could get away with sitting on Santa's lap and having my picture taken with him at the mall I probably would. For reals.

When Chris and I got married, he quickly learned that he would no longer be able to sleep in on a Christmas morning. I barely sleep Christmas Eve because I am so filled with excitement for the next morning. And not just opening my gifts, but seeing others open the gifts we have got them. Usually, on Christmas morning I am awake before normal people should be awake and it is all I can do to wait for a decent hour before I wake up Chris and beg him to get up so we can get the festivities started. There is definitely a lot of moaning and groaning on his part at first but he is a good sport and pushes through for my sake.

Growing up my parents had a fake tree. Every year when it was time to put up the tree, we would get the box up from the basement. Carefully we would take it out of its box, assemble all the branches and then of course decorate it. Now--I get that a fake tree that you buy once then use year in and year out is cost effective--but now that I am all growed up and married, Chris and I always get a real tree. I LOVE going tree shopping and carefully taking the time to pick out that tree that is just the right fit for us and our place. I will admit the needles get a little messy sometimes but it is worth that amazing smell greeting you every time you walk in the house.

Of course being a Christian, Christmas is more to me than just presents and trees. Christmas is also a time we celebrate the birth of Jesus. I am careful to always remember and put that above all else. But it doesn't mean I am not excited and going to always enjoy every second of the other stuff that goes along with Christmas. Even Belle gets in on the fun...although her expression may not seem like it.

Who else is a kid at Christmas? What is your favorite tradition?