When do you think is an appropriate time to put up the Christmas tree and start listening to Christmas music? How early is too early? Some people say that it’s fair game after Remembrance Day (Veterans Day in the States), some people say that you should wait until after American Thanksgiving, and others will tell you that you should wait until at least December 1st. Whatever the case, our tree is up… for the first time in almost three decades.

Ever since we moved into this house of ours a few years ago, we’ve had a list of items that we’ve wanted to buy. Some of these were understandably high priority, like getting a proper mattress and bed. I think it took us over a year before we got a proper dining table and, even then, we didn’t get the chairs to go with it for several months after that.

Two things that have been nagging the back of mind this entire time, though, are a barbecue and a Christmas tree. They are both decidedly lower on the priority list, because they’re hardly things we really have to have. Well, we finally managed to knock one of them off the list and, given the holiday season, you can probably guess which one.

Realistically, the biggest motivation was that Addie is now old enough to get some sense of what Christmas is all about. She’s been really excited about seeing the Christmas trees and other decorations going up around town, and she was pretty stoked when she got to see the “pretty lights” on our own little tree. All it needs is a little love.

Now we just have to determine when she’ll be old enough for the Airing of Grievances and the Feats of Strength.