Recipe for Magic

This year we had the perfect Recipe for a Successful Christmas Tree:

1. Cut one eight foot tree

2. Drive home with tree hanging out back of car after roof-binding failure

3. Struggle to place in tree stand and center

4. Remove tree from stand when you realize you have forgotten to atach plastic collection bag to base first

5. Attach bag and place in stand again

6. Fight with family over which section of tree should face the front

7. Spray with some fake snow for a realistic effect

8. Wait for fake snow to dry

9. Unpack lights

10. Send hubby to store to replace broken strand of colored lights.

11. Force hubby to apply both white and colored lights to please all family members.

12. Unpack ornaments

13. Get emotional over ornaments with photos of children when they were small

14. Force children to leave computer screens to hang a few ornaments

15. Break a beloved ornament and cry

16. Hang the rest by yourself

17. Unpack old tree skirt and vow once again to buy a new one

18. Dim the lights

19. Stand back

20. Admire the Magic