Tuesday, December 16, 2008

oh christmas tree.

We may very well be one of the ONLY people with a Christmas tree in Tahiti. Not too many others do I don't think. This was stuffed in the garage of our house and we managed to force it together and throw some of the rad decorations on it that were already here as well. We also brought some of our favorite ornaments from home. One of my very, very favorite family traditions is that we buy a new ornament each year to represent something significant of the year. (i.e. a darling Mr. & Mrs. Claus for when my parents were married, something for when the kids were born, a thing for a new house, moving etc. etc.) This year it was, obviously, moving to Tahiti and the mish. We went shopping for that yesterday and we now have two options for what we're going to use, and that is still under discussion. Hmmm... But anyway, that's me putting up one of the yearlys. 
 
Okay, we thought this was hilarious. We went to Carre Four and they were selling this "snow powder." Since they can't have the real thing I guess that's as close as they're going to get! I was half tempted to buy it. But not really.
 
Gotta love our family felt advent calendar. Every night we sing a Christmas Carol and put up the next corresponding ornament. It's crazy, in years past sometimes we've found our schedules too busy to do this with consistency - but now that it is one of our only Christmas-ey things in our lives we've found ourselves clinging to it. It's been really fun to do as a family, and I've really loved singing the Christmas carols. (Especially since we don't sing them in church until the WEEK before Christmas! How SAD!!!)
 
 
 
We also did a gift exchange in YW/YM. (Which was interesting on my part but it all ended up working out. Stupid language barrier. Can't we just all GET ALONG?!) And this is what one of the guys gave me. (If you're reading this Mike this is what the flower thingie looked like.)
 
Christmas is definitely different without snow, and without family. But we're doing the best to make it our own and have a great Christmas just the same.

3 comments:

Brooke said...

This will probably be one of the only times that you can have the family/special ornaments hanging low down on the tree. No kids to come and pull them off this year.

Seeing this picture makes me want more pictures of the whole house. Is that a picture of the kids right behind the tree?

Fake snow, eh?

Love you!

Allison said...

Merry Christmas Lauren! Enjoy this beauty full experience and love every minute of your Tahiti Christmas! Uncle Matt looked so cute cutting that turkey!

Parkside View said...

My family had a felt advent calendar that looks exactly like yours whien I was growing up (I think I've told your mother that before), and somehow my sister ended up with it. I've been saying I should make my own for years now. You may have just inspired me to do just that finally...well, next year maybe!