It's Official! The Holiday Season is here!!

It may only be November 20th, but the Christmas festivities today around town made you feel like it was December 25th!

The welcoming of Santa to the mall and the annual Santa Claus parade reminds children (and parents too!) that Santa Claus has come to town!!! Lineups for miles to sit on Santa's knee could be seen everywhere you went today.

We, once again, missed the Barrie Santa Claus parade, but I know that many of the momstown mamas were there with their kids and hubbies enjoying the festivities and watching the excitement on the kids' faces as Santa approached.

With the parades, sightings of Santa and the excitement that builds about Christmas being just around the corner, comes the annual family event that we all cherish... the Putting Up of The Christmas Tree... and so the tradition continued in my house today.

The tree went up, but not without some drama, as per usual. We opted for a "fake" tree a few years back to avoid the mess of the real trees and to be able to enjoy the tree for longer. The problem with the fake trees is trying to remember where all the pieces go. We tried to eliminate that stress last year by getting a new one that is only 3 tiers and even prelit, no more untangling and stringing lights! However, this created a whole new difficulty, where do all the plugs go? Why is this side lit and not that side? Why are there plugs with no outlets?


So after much under-the-breath cursing, heavy sighs and whines from children who just want to put the decorations on, all the connections were made, the lights were lit and the tree was "pretty".

Let the decorating commence!!! Chubby baby hands grabbed at anything that could be reached from the ground level with squeals of delight, unsteady but determined hands of a 3 year old hung ornaments in clusters that frustrated her dad but made her proud and the stealthy eye of a tween who wants her 'special' ornaments in the front made sure the tree was full of colour. And all the while a proud mama snapped pictures of the joyous event for the scrapbook where this memory of childish pleasure and Christmas joy will be captured forever.

And so the season of joy has begun! Bring on the fun!!