Christmas Tree Night

Last night was my Christmas Tree Night. I've been doing this since I have been on my own with kids. One random night after Christmas, I sleep on the couch with the Christmas tree lights on - all night.

I've lived alone for about 6 years now- no hubby, kids or Mom sleeping down the hall (no hall actually), but it just seemed like the night for it. For the last 16 years, my mutt joins me on the couch and I bring out a blanket and pillow, I read, watch T.V. - and look at the tree and doze off and on.

Christmas trees are one of my favorite things. This year I did not have access to any of my traditional Christmas decorations or the Christmas tree my daughter and her family surprised me with about 4 years ago, so I used my year round 'craft' pine cone tree and decorated it with candy canes and beads and red ribbons and the Christmas decorations that hang around my house all year long.

Each year I leave out one new Christmas decoration from the packing boxes. I tend to have eclectic Christmas decorations - penguins, beaded lamp pulls, frogs, little cars - so that it's not as odd as it sounds (my place doesn't look like Santa's workshop all year). This Christmas, the one who escapes the box for the next 11 months is a new white and gold angel from my daughter-in-law's Mom that will hang all year round next to the painted lady ball from my son-in-law's Mom from several years ago.

I started doing this as a gift to myself- to appreciate the tree in a quiet, post stressed holiday time frame - and to count my blessings - it takes all night - and just think and feel and remember the Christmas Season I was just passing through - and the ones from the past.

I do this alone, but I am never lonely on these nights. It's all about Christmas Past, Present and Future for me - in the glow of tiny firefly lights and candles.

Not on any one's holiday calendar, but one of my favorite nights of the year. And I always wake up rested and refreshed.