Remember when I confessed to having already decorated for Christmas?

I left out one important detail – we hadn’t yet decorated the tree.

Traditionally, we decorate the rest of the house for Christmas, set up the tree, and get out the ornaments.

Then, after supper, we enjoy some amazing chocolate fondue and decorate the tree with the sound of dulcimers and fiddlers playing Appalachian Christmas music in the background.

But it didn’t work that way this year.

We got the house decorated and the tree up – but that’s where things went awry.

First there was the lights – most of them didn’t work.

Then there was the timing – between work schedules and dentist appointments, and eye doctor appointments and shopping trips – we were not all at the house at the same time to decorate the tree.

So it sat naked – with the few working strands of lights blinking in the evening.  If I turned all the other lights in the room off – you barely noticed the lack of ornaments. Or so I told myself.

Then there was the day we watched my friend’s two daughters – aged 1 and 2. I thought it would be great fun to have the 2 year old help me decorate.

And it was for a while. But, oh, how quickly one forgets the attention span of a two year old!

We actually got about a dozen ornaments on the tree before she discovered the Mickey Mouse one, followed quickly by the Minnie Mouse. She hung them side by side and lost all interest in any other ornaments.

She, instead, made up pretend conversations between Mickey and Minnie and kissed them every time she went by for the rest of the day.

Now my tree had a few strands of working lights, a dozen ornaments on three lower branches, with Mickey and Minnie Mouse, side by side, covered with a 2 year old’s kisses.

And so it stayed for several days.

Until last night when I determined to just finish the job once and for all.

Matt was in Colorado, Dagmar and Angel Girl were shopping, Pedro was at work, and Buddy was helping Jan in the shop – so I decorated the rest of the tree by myself.

Choosing my favorite ornaments, listening to my favorite music.

And yes – I’ll confess – eating chocolate pot de creme. 😉

I’m so glad that around here traditions can be flexible because this is one year they might need to bend a little. I’m thinking we’ll just enjoy the tree the rest of the season with whatever lights are still working and maybe move the chocolate fondue to Christmas Day.

But two things that are not moving – Mickey and Minnie.  They are staying right where my little sweetheart put them – side by side and covered with kisses!

Just in case she comes back…