Christmas Traditions

Bryan and I love Christmas and all the preparation and excitement it brings.  After we purchased our house in the summer of 2005 we bought our first Christmas tree.  We didn't want to have one in the apartment since we didn't know how tall our ceilings would be in our future house and we weren't too big on the idea of moving it around with us as well.  Now that we have a house, every year we look forward to putting it up and every year we have a "discussion" about where it will go.  The first few years we had it in our living room but for the past 2 years Bryan has wanted it in the dining room.  I wasn't big on the idea since I like looking at it all lit up and decorated as we hang out at night.  If it's in the dining room we wouldn't be able to see it very well.  So we agreed that we would switch locations every year - one year in the dining room, the next in the living room and so on.  Well, the first year we had it in the dining room we got all sorts of compliments about how it looked next to our fireplace.  Now Bryan doesn't want it any other place and says that "everyone agrees with me" and then he adds, "Court, I'm just a better decorator than you"........ugh, I hate it when he's right (that it looks better by the fireplace, not that he's a better decorator).

The Christmas tree in our living room 

(with my parents before their work party)

The Christmas tree by our fireplace

(not the best quality, but you get the idea)

This year Bryan unpacked and fluffed the tree while I picked out which ornaments were "safe" to put on the Christmas tree (i.e., plastic unbreakables!!).

Matthew decided he'd like to help his daddy!

Each year before Christmas Bryan and I will find any excuse to go to Northpark Mall.  We enjoy walking around looking at all their decorations and seeing/listening to the entertainment throughout the mall.  Last year they had an electric string quartet and we really enjoyed watching them play.  This year there was a small band and a woman dressed up in a formal singing.  We decided to get a closer look and when we walked up we realized the band consisted of elderly adults.  It was kind of humorous to see all these old people play their instruments. We specifically enjoyed watching this older lady play her drums, she was rocking out with her gray hair just a movin' and a groovin'.

After we walked around a bit we decided to take Matthew to see the train exhibit.  We have never been before and weren't sure how Matthew would like it but thought it was worth a try.  As it turns out, Matthew LOVED it, he just didn't like wearing his conductor hat.....

Every year Bryan just loooooooves to take me to look at at Christmas lights ;)  He's good with going down 1 or 2 streets but not me!!  I really enjoy looking at how everyone decorates their houses and the rich people leave their blinds open so I can look into their houses and daydream of how it might be to live like they do!  Anywho, we usually start out our evening by going by the house in Farmers Branch that has the "dancing lights".  This guy puts TONS of lights on his house and yard and choreographs them to music you listen to on your radio.  Matthew just stares at the blinking lights and ever so often points to it and says "lighs".  After we see the dancing lights we go over to Greenville Ave. and get a coffee from Starbucks; however, this year since we did the trains we saw the lighted house first, then the trains, and then we went to Starbucks (I know you don't care what order we did things in but this is just for my documentation sake:)  After we got our coffees we drove down to Swiss Ave., which is a landmark street in Dallas.  There are several HUGE mansions that have been there for years and years.  The street is wide enough it has a median so we go down one side and then up the other just to make sure we don't miss anything (again, Bryan loves this!!).  After Swiss Ave. we headed over to Preston Rd. to go through the Highland Village homes.  This was our first year to go through this neighborhood and it was really impressive.  Apparently if you're willing to spend a little under $200 you can rent a horse and carriage to take you through the neighborhood!  But that wasn't in our budget and we enjoyed being in our warm car anyway!!  As we were driving through the neighborhood it really felt like Christmas.  There were families walking down the streets looking at lights, there were several horse and carriages, and we followed a line of cars that were weaving down the streets.  It reminded me of driving through Interlocking as I was growing up.  Interlocking is a neighborhood in Arlington that is required to decorate their house during the Christmas season.  Cars will wait hours to drive through and see all the lights.  Each year my family would pack up in the car with hot chocolate and wait our turn to drive through the streets.  

I'm really excited about our new family Christmas traditions and can't wait to do them again next year!

Here's Matthew waiting in the car to see some "lighs"