Late, but not really.

Late Season Tree, Canton, NC  -  2013

(Click on photo to enlarge.)

We finally put up our Christmas tree last night. Yeah, I know, most folks would say we're really late, but we've always done it with the kids, and this is the first Christmas for us without at least one of our two daughters living at home. We wanted to wait until Courtney got home from college for Christmas break because it just wouldn't be the same putting up the tree without one of the girls helping. Heather, who is living in Lenoir now, won't be able to come home until Christmas Eve.

I remember when my grandmother stopped putting up a Christmas tree because of her age, and because she always came to our house for Christmas anyway. It saddened me when she told me that it was too much trouble for her any more. She had a tiny Christmas tree that sat on one of her end tables; I think seeing that little tree made it even sadder. Eventually my own mother went the "tiny tree on the end table" route because a big tree was too much for her after my dad died.

I'm dreading the day when putting up a Christmas tree will be too much for me too handle. I hope that day is a long way off. Decorating the tree with the family is too much a part of Christmas for me, and the season wouldn't be the same with only a tiny tree on the end table. So I hope I'll always have a Christmas tree in my living room, no matter how long I have to wait for someone to help us decorate it.