the first tree

we've seen our first christmas tree of the year (and no, it isn't ours). someone has a lighted christmas tree up already. even chris frowned and shook his head. that's bad. bad.


so thoughts of christmas ultimately lead to the following topics in our household:

* the tree
* music
* gifts

(so far christmas movies haven't come up in conversation yet, but it's only a matter of time...)


from our conversation tonight about the gift situation, I've come to the following conclusions: christmas lists are a neat and practical idea, but ultimately (at least for chris and me) the real test in the gift department is how well we know each other, how well we've paid attention, and/or finding something the other won't expect. it's not meant to be a graded test, but I always take it on as a personal challenge.

our first christmas I had it all planned out. he had made a passing comment about a certain photographer he liked, decribing a specific print. I never forgot it, and many months after the comment faded from his memory it appeared under the tree. (well, technically I couldn't wait because I was so excited, I knew he had wanted it for a long time, so I took him with me to the store when it came in -- yes, before christmas).

I may have set the precedent there, and maybe it's just me, but I get so much joy out of giving. And it's so much more exciting when you know you've found or remembered something special. We like surprises. We like practicality and the guarantee of not having to fake liking a gift, but surprises are better.


It's not so much about getting something as it is the effort behind it. though last-minute christmas eve raids do have a certain desperate-creative quality (anyone remember that Friends episode?!) hehe


hopefully that didn't come across quite as materialistic as I think it did. sing with me this: we are living in a material world and I am a material girl...
*barf*