If you have not put up your tree yet...

[redhookmom]

...here are some things I learned this year.

Do not be so excited about dh having the morning off that you rush off to Christmas tree farm without giving breakfast to the kids.

Do not try to take perfect Christmas card photo on cold winter morning with hungry kids who seemed to be a little warm.

Do not trust your dh when he tells you and professional tree farmer that the tree is already tied tightly on top of car.

Do not say to dh in the car that this better not be the year that the tree went flying off the roof...

Check to make sure that lights work before installing on tree.

Check to make sure that the tree stand holds water before decorating
tree.

Do not buy huge tree when you only have a few decorations.

I am sure there will be more lessons learned before this tree comes down!

[brigmaman]

Lol, can I add one?

Do not tell your toddler that you'll be placing a star on the top of the tree until it is exactly the time you intend to do so.
"You put star on mama! You put star on daddy! You put star on mama!
You put star on mamaaaaaaaaa!!!!!"

[amp]

That is so funny! It's amazing to me how different the holidays can look with a husband and children. It's a whole new ball game!

As an aside, I have to share a cute Jake story. I left a box of baby q-tips sitting on the stairs this weekend. Jake found them, as he alwasy does, and started playing with them (I know, they say right on the box, "This is not a toy", but Jake can't read yet.) Anyway, he later started decorating the tree with the qtips by putting them gently on the branches. I don't know if that visual is as cute as it was IRL, but it was adorable. I think DH took pics, so I may have to share them when I load them to the computer.