real or faux, time to go

I'm staring at our faux Christmas tree, circa 1980-something, and I'm sad that it needs to come down. Just like every other year, I want to keep the sparkly lights and shiny ornaments around for a bit longer. Simply put, all the shimmering decorations (along with the sentimental ones) make me happy. Even my excited toddler exclaims "ooo-OOO-ooo" every morning when we come down the stairs and see it there, waiting to greet us. (And let's face it, he's learned to say "ooo!" because that's what I do when I see the tree each morning!) The ornaments are sparse this year (aforementioned toddler, no glass) but the most durable adornments have been perfect for him to pull off the tree and shove back in between the fake branches. His favorite, by far, is a glittery blue star gifted from his Gram. Upon spying it he says "Ess. Ess!" and eagerly plucks it from the tree. Sadly, once the New Year arrives, the tree will come down. But at least E has already started reaching for the stars.