Oh What Fun It Is To Strew!

One of the things I enjoy about the holiday season is setting up the Christmas tree and other decorations while listening to Christmas music. My wife is like Elf, spilling with child-like excitement, and the children are equally giddy and mesmerized by all of the lights and shiny objects. During the decorating process I noticed a Scrooge-ish feeling welling up inside, because as we were unpacking the Christmas decorations, the kids would rummage through them, play with them, hide in them, tie them on, try to put them in the tree (regardless of the weight), and leave them strewn around the living room. I was starting to get frustrated and wanted to tell the kids to stop touching everything. But somehow--I'm still not quite sure how--another feeling overpowered Scrooge. I started thinking about what I loved about Christmas as a boy. I don't think I ever enjoyed decorating, as in actually setting things in order; rather, I loved rediscovering all of these fascinating things that I hadn't seen in a year. I probably tried on the stockings and hats, tied ribbons in knots, hid under the Christmas tablecloth or the Christmas tree box, threw the ornaments, tried to eat old candy canes as my parents put them on the tree, and rolled around in all of the packing materials. So, I don't have the heart to take that away from the kids. We can all find joy in decorating for Christmas as long as (1) I realize that my kids and I experience the joy for different reasons, and (2) anything breakable is immediately put out of reach or out of sight.