It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Tomorrow is December 1 and I for one am excited that it is finally here. This has always been my favorite time of the year and seeing it through the eyes of 37 little Preschoolers each day makes it all that much more special. I don't know who is more excited, the teacher or the kids. My classroom is all decked out in holiday flair. I always put up a child size tree that the kids are allowed to decorate and undecorate as many times as they want. I figure that the kids are usually only allowed to view the tree from a distance with a no touch policy so our tree lets them touch all they want. I also have a fireplace up on the wall where the children can sit and "warm" themselves while reading a good Christmas tale. I was explaining all the new activities to the children the other day and I was talking about the fireplace as if it were real. One of my little boys said, "You know, Mrs. Damman, that fireplace is fake." What would I do without my children?

Anyway things look a lot like Christmas at school and at home. The tree is up and looking so fine this year. I absolutely hated this new tree last year, but as I was assembling it this year, I realized that I never pulled the branches apart last year. No wonder it had so many bare spots!
This year it looks so much better. Here are a few of the ornaments that I am highlighting this year. Look at my sweet little girls on this one! One of my students gave me this ornament when I was her Preschool teacher years ago. Courtney and Becky (the student) became very close friends in High School, but that is neither here nor there. I always put this ornament up first and give it a prominent, front spot on the tree. It brings back such happy memories for me.

Each of my girls made these handprint ornaments in Preschool. I think Courtney was almost four when she made this one. Look how nicely she wrote her name.

And here is Alissa's handprint from Preschool. I think she was just turning three, but the name sure is good for that age, so maybe I am off on that, but then, Alissa was always ahead of her age. I think it had something to do with how long she spent in utero! I also cannot figure out why her fingers look so short and fat. I don't remember her having fingers like this!

My favorite ornament is one with Alissa's picture on it. I featured it on my blog last year. Anyway she wrote her name like this "Assila" on that ornament. I never, ever want anything to happen to that ornament, it is so precious to me. I didn't keep a lot of things from when my girls were young, so I value these treasures so much.

John brought this ornament into our marriage. He didn't bring much as far as material things go, but he did bring this. We always put this ornament in front of a little light. It is Catholic because of the halo around Mary's head, so it brings a bit of his former religion into our home.

We always take time to remember my dad at this time of the year. Actually we remember him at all times of the year but especially at Christmas. This is an ornament with his name on it which has a important spot on our tree. We also have some homemade Santa magnets and some walnut Santas that he made, but I did not photograph them.

Our tree is full of happy, precious memories which is what a tree is all about, I think.

Here is a peek at my village. It is always fun to put the village up and it keeps getting bigger every year.

Here is the theater. And...

In all the hustle and bustle of the season, let us not forget the real reason for the season. I can assure you that if you ask any of my little ones, they will tell you that Jesus is what Christmas is all about!