Every Year! Every Year Without Fail! There is one holiday tradition that I never fail to keep! My break-an-ornament, diminishing-our-supply-ritual! I don't think I've missed a season yet! Until this year! Since we are leaving to spend the holidays in Israel, we decided not to put up our Christmas tree. Which means I won't even have a 2009 opportunity to break a holiday ornament.
We found the ornaments on our current tree at this cool store, Molbaks, in Seattle. The ornament's colors are unique and they're made in Germany so they are difficult to replace. And, apparently, they are also very fragile!
So, every year when we decorate the tree I pronounce the "Be Very Careful Lecture" to my kids; reminding them that Haste makes Waste! If they get in a rush and get sloppy, ornaments will surely crash and burn!
Shortly after my eloquent speech it's rarely the kids and usually the efficient-but-a-bit-klutzy one (that would be moi) that drops the first ornament! Ah, famous last words!
Our German ornaments are becoming an endangered species! And dang it anyway, I like them! But this year their risk of extinction is low; we aren't even bringing them out of the box! So, instead of breaking ornaments this holiday season, we'll be breaking other long standing traditions by traveling on Christmas Day! A first!
