Twenty Nine Christmas Trees

Our 29th Christmas Tree

Rob and I decided when we got married that we would always have a "real" Christmas Tree at our house. More specifically, a Balsam or Frazer Fir tree. We enjoy picking out the perfect tree, decorating it with ornaments we have collected through the years and the smell of pine throughout the house for the entire month of December. 

I remember our very first tree. That was back in 1985 when you had to go to a tree lot, not Lowe's or Home Depot and it cost us $40! We did not have any money left to buy ornaments, so we made them. We didn't care. We were excited to be spending our first Christmas together as a married couple with our "real" tree.

I remember our second tree. We bought it for $25. It seemed like such a great deal! It managed to fall not once but twice over the holidays and you could literally hear the needles dropping from it. By the time Christmas was over, it was pretty bear.

I remember Matthew's reaction to the sight of the decorated tree when he was 22 months old. He looked at it and and said "Oh, Mama!" He was in awe of the lights and ornaments.

I remember Andrew's first Christmas, he was 11 months old. We put a fence up around the tree on to keep him from climbing it or "tasting" the ornaments. He would stand at the fence and gaze up at the tree.

Over the years we have had many Christmas trees and lots of memories to go along with them. This year I realized we set up out 29th "real" Christmas Tree. That's 29 years of celebrating Christmas at the Stevens house. Last night as my boys put on all of their special ornaments, I was so thankful for the many years our family has had together not only decorating the tree, but celebrating the birth of our Savior. 

Merry Christmas!