A Charlie Brown Christmas

I've always been a sucker for the classic Peanuts Christmas show. I hated the aluminum, colored trees that Lucy wanted, and completely sided with Charlie and Linus when they bought the pitifully small and decrepit tree instead. Molly and I used to try to pick out a "Charlie Brown" tree from the woods behind our house to put up in our playroom downstairs.

We headed out to the Farmer's Market yesterday to get our Christmas tree. We almost picked up one at either Whole Foods or Food Lion when we saw the prices were low and effort would be minimal, but Russell convinced me to trek over to our favorite spot instead. Good thing we did, or we wouldn't have seen these.

Anyone for a blue, purple, or red tree? Nothing says Christmas like spray paint, or spray snow, or whatever that is.

Charlotte kept up the spirit of the old Charlie Brown Christmas special by choosing her own reject for our playroom. One place was selling what looked to be the somewhat awkward and destroyed tops of other trees for a minimal price. I told Charlotte to pick whichever one she wanted for the playroom.

She gravitated toward the one with a bow, of course. I could tell right away there was a reason for that bow, but there was no changing her mind. She was excited that the tree was so little she could carry it to the truck herself. (Speaking of, see that bright star over her left shoulder? That's our black pickup truck. Think it's a sign?)

Sure enough, when we got home and took off the bow, the top was flat as a pancake and the tree looks more like the bottom level of a snowman than a small tree. But she still loves it, and what's there is full and lush.

I tried to get some cute pictures of the kids amongst the trees, but I guess my photos turned out more "Charlie Brown" than Christmas card as well.

Have yourself a merry little Christmas, and we hope you'll have a "Charlie Brown" moment this year.