DON'T FORGET THE SPARKLE - THE LITTLE CHRISTMAS TREE 2012

With all of my favorite bloggers and friends sharing their beautiful Christmas trees & decor this year, I decided it was time to share a peek at The "Little" tree for 2012....undoubtably the most imperfect of trees amidst the blogosphere this year.

My youngest son is now 12, soon to be 13, and this is the first year he didn't have much interest in decorating the tree. With my oldest already 21 and 17, that left me by myself. Which was not as fun as years past. Any soon to be empty nesters, agree?

So, I took my time and carefully hung each of my coveted angels. A collection started many years ago by happenstance. My mother began giving me a new, unique angel every year and I love unpacking them each year.

Then I moved on to all the other ornaments and those that make me smile like the kids pictures when they were in grade school.

And then I was done. And something seemed to be missing. For the past week I have walked by the tree with sort of a "ho-hum" feeling. Unsure what it was missing and blaming it on myself for not having the mega Christmas spirit as so many years past when my kids were little and anxiously awaiting Santa.

My 3 year old GRANDbaby came to spend the night tonight. She came into the kitchen where I was prepping supper and yells "Mimi....come look what I did!!"

What a surprise...and I really, literally, cried. Mostly because I remember the days when my own kids would have gotten in BIG trouble for messing with Mommy's "special ornaments" and re-arranging the tree. Boy, if I knew then what I know now....

She took all of her necklaces, bracelets and sparkly jewelry and hung it on the tree.

Now THAT is what Christmas is about. Not the perfectly decorated tree...

So, here's our very imperfect tree this year that I absolutely adore. And gratitude to my GRANDbaby for reminding me that it's the SPARKLE that matters the most.

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