My true joy of this season is FINALLY having a for-real, adult Christmas tree. I've had a mini-tree since childhood and a tree each Christmas, but Sasha and I haven't yet had a regular family tree. I really wanted to get a live tree, but when I realized that it would be up from Thanksgiving to mid-January (old New Year) and the thought of needles (not to mention getting rid of a tree in an apartment complex), I re-considered. So my one outing on Black Friday was to Target to get a tree for $25. Sure, it isn't the fanciest artificial tree, but it sure is cute in our living room. You caught glimpses of it in the cans for comments post and my family photo from yesterday, but it was only yesterday (two days after Christmas that the decorating was completed.
The best part? I can finally use all my ornaments!! I have been collecting beautiful glass ornaments since my first Christmas in Ukraine. Some I bought in Ukraine, some in Prague, some in the US. But they are all beautiful and I LOVE them!
The first two are Santas: one from Ukraine and one silly Santa I got at Target today. The next row are also from Eastern Europe: a hippo from Prague and a monkey from Ukraine (the first ornament for my future tree that I bought--to ring in the year of the monkey). The last row has a cute snowman and a beautiful seal that my mom bought us this year.
The other great part? Our tree will be up to enjoy for at least 2 more weeks. Trees only go up around now in Ukraine and they stay up for New Year's (they're called New Year's Trees) and through Orthodox Christmas on January 7. So my little lighted joy will stay lit for a while more.
I'll try to post a bit about how we celebrate the next holidays. We're still in the process of building family traditions since it is only Sasha and I celebrating. It is kind of exciting to be able to do that and not be restricted by what has always been done ;)
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