A Livingston Christmas through the Ages

     Let's pretend that I'm not making a new blog post whilst slacking on Myla's birthday letter.  It is what it is. (Note to Self: This should be the title of my memoir).

     I have this thing where I love Christmas, but I was thrown so quickly into home ownership and adulthood, that I never mastered seasonal decorating. (Or decorating of any kind, really).  I can no longer use my youth as an excuse for my lack of commitment to Christmas decor, but let's just say my particular combination of frugality and laziness has kept me stunted in the decorating department.  

     It all started 7 years ago...

     On our first Christmas as a married couple, Dave and I were about to celebrate our first anniversary.  Oh, and we had a two-week-old baby. We found a janky three-foot tree in my parent's garage, and voila!  'Tis the season.  Our tree topper was a piece of cardboard cut into the shape of a star, covered in foil, and clipped to the tree with a bag clip.  

     We clearly took the time in 2010 to put this wee one into a basket and attempt some themed photos.  

      If you'll notice here, our wonky tree is decorated with a few real ornaments as well as pieces of ribbon that I probably took from baby shower gifts.  Because you know, reduce/reuse/recycle. 

     Another one of the unconventional ornaments that our tree proudly carried were these little mittens, whom some of you may remember as a Starbucks gift card holder from years gone by.

      And shockingly, we took the time to make this lady a hilarious shirt that she actually wore unabashedly out in public.  This is why we love her.  

     Through the next couple of years, we added some kids but apparently added no personal motivation.  We continued to rock the wonky little tree, and although generous grandparents gave us a few real ornaments to work with, the girls enjoyed adding their personal flair.

     Perhaps the sweetest gift of all was when Grandma Sue gave us a solution to our "small house" problem.  (Note: our first house wasn't really that small, but it didn't have a great place to put any kind of tree).

Enter: beautiful tree quilt decorated with foam dollar store ornaments by this proud little lady!

     Fast forward to today.  We ended up buying a couple of artificial trees on clearance last January, and when we pulled them out, the kids were thrilled!  They each have a tree of their own, and Jon David is still rocking the orphaned garage tree.  Since we haven't set any decorating precedent, they took it upon themselves to design their trees, and I never want to forget this preciousness that surrounds me right now.  

Exhibit A: Piper's homemade horse ornament

 Stock photo Santa baby. (Myla's baby hand print is actually on the other side, but she chose to display this kid).

 Myla's tree topper solution

 JD's much-loved tree

This is clearly an Astros baseball cap ornament. 

More homemade goodness

Thanks to preschool last year, Piper has a real ornament!

 Let's not forget the dollar store additions.

 One year, my friend had pity on me and gave us a box of Christmas decorations.  She had already reached the point of needing to pare down.  So now we have this lovely wooden reindeer who gallantly watches over Piper's tree at night.

Can we all just take a moment to see what happens when the teacher tries to take a photo of Piper?  This is hanging in the hallway at school.

Finally, Myla and Jon decided to make a paper chain (modeled after a school project of Piper's).  They spent quite a while working together and tearing strips of paper to make this.  

So, as the sign says, I bid you all a "Mary Crismas!"