Oh Chirstmas Tree & "Cracks"

Much to Ben's dismay I insisted on putting up a Christmas Tree this year. I really wanted a real one, but we compromised on the old fake one we had in the attic. I knew we were tempting fate putting all of the glass ornaments on and not putting the gate around it like Ben wanted (and he would know, considering he brought down a 14' tall Christmas Tree in his house when he was a kid!) But the idea of a gate around the tree just felt so wrong!

Here is the final tree that I decorated while Ben was at a track meet and the girls were to bed.

In the morning Margaret was VERY interested in the new tree with "yites" (lights). She had seen Poppa carry it down from the attic the day before, so of course gave Poppa ALL THE CREDIT for the pretty tree! In fact refered to it as "Poppa's Tree"!
I am happy to report that over the entire holiday season Margaret did not break a single bulb (she pulled several off the tree.....but never broke any!) And to complete the accounting of "broken bulbs" the cat broke 5 and I broke 1.

In addition to the tree Margaret really loved the beautiful Nutcrackers! Ben has a childhood collection of the real Nutcrackers, but Margaret was not allowed to play with those.

She was however allowed to play with the two knock-off Nutcrackers that Mommy got at Christmas Tree Store.

Each morning she would say "Morning Cracks" and each night before going up the stairs she would announce "Night Night Cracks".