Where Are You Christmas?

“Are we getting a Christmas tree?” – My daughter wanted to know yesterday.  What’s Christmas without a prettily decorated tree full of twinkling lights and sparkly ornaments collected throughout the years?  Memories hanging among the pine needles.  Of course we’re getting a Christmas tree!  A little bitty one because the space just isn’t there for our usual ‘the bigger the better’ way of thinking, but a Christmas tree just the same!

Every year since Hubby and I met, we’ve had a real tree.  There’s nothing like the smell of pine filling the house, to give you the warm and fuzzies.  Or should.  I’ve had a growing lack of Christmas Spirit over the last decade (plus), and it saddens me to no end.  The song “Where Are You Christmas”, tells the story of me – except for the end, where she finds Christmas.  I miss the feeling you get as a kid…you know the one.  I don’t even need to describe it, do I?

Tucker isn’t too impressed with his Christmas attire!

So this year, I’ve vowed to do everything in my power to try and find it again.  From decorating, and blasting Christmas music in the car and singing along at the top of my lungs (by myself of course!) – and baking (to Hubby’s delight!).  At the same time, I’m hoping to have a “Homestead Christmas” – whatever that is.  We’re not on a farm, so it’s difficult I think to really get into that Country Christmas Spirit.

What are your Christmas traditions?  Do you have special movies you watch every year?  Things you do as a family?  Special meals, or treats that only seem to appear during the holidays?

Hubby loves A Christmas Story, so it seems to make its way to our television set every year – at which time my daughter disappears to her room.  Oh who am I kidding?  She’s 17…she’s ALWAYS in her room!  I personally enjoy Home Alone (the first one) – just something about it!

Christmas Eve is usually dinner at my mother-in-law’s.  Last year my sister in law hosted, which was different but lovely!  She has a beautiful home.  I would love to host, but I’ve always lived too far, and this year the house is just too small.  Maybe once we have our own place!  Christmas  morning, we usually do at our house with presents and hot chocolate in our jammies, with the TV on the fireplace channel, and then it’s back to the city to Hubby’s mum’s for another round, and Christmas brunch.  Dinner Christmas day is mostly at my father-in-law’s.  It’s a busy busy day and by the end of it, all we want to do is fall back into our jammies and into bed!

Somewhere in there – usually a few days before or after Christmas – I find some time and go up North to have Christmas at my mother’s.  Hubby doesn’t usually come because we can’t bring Sherman, but I’m hoping that this year maybe we can get a doggy sitter and he can join us!

It’s always a busy time, and always wonderful with meals and company and music – but always lacking that fuzzy-heart feeling for me.  I want it back, and I’m hoping this year is the year!

What do you do to get into the Christmas spirit?  Any tricks you can share??  I would love to know how you spend your Christmas on the homestead!  (And I think I may have won the award for how many times I’ve used the word “Christmas” in this post…21 times!!)