A rather interesting comment from my husband this morning...we spent most of the morning putting up the tree. It's an onerous job any year, but this year it seemed particularly frustrating...untangling the branches, trying to fit them in so that the tree fits into its very tiny corner (we can't put any branches in the back at all, and have to secure those branches to show in the front so that the tree looks half decent). Untangling the lights. Spent at least an hour trying to figure out why none of the strings of lights were working. Etc, etc, etc. We finally gave up and took a shopping break, then finished when we came back. So it looks okay, but a bit lopsided, definitely a prime example of "coasting on imperfection" if I ever saw one!

Anyway, as we were sitting there contemplating the lopsided but beautiful results, hubby said, "next year, I'd like to forget about the tree, put a small table in there (he'll build one to custom fit), buy and set up a beautiful nativity scene on the table and then buy a very small (perhaps ceramic) tree to fit. Then we'll just put all of the gifts under the table."

I was stunned, and delighted by his suggestion. He said he'd rather spend the money on a beautiful nativity set than another fake tree, and would rather the nativity be the focus point than the tree. My husband is not a very spiritual man, though he does come to church with me. So this was quite a surprise suggestion coming from him - and one I fully intend to follow through with!