It's Beginning to Look alot like Christmas

We put up our Christmas tree last night. I love doing our tree and it's become a family tradition for all of us to help put it together.

The kids helped Marshall get the tree together...

Then we get the ornaments out...

Marshall then does the angel - simply because the tree is 6 feet tall and so is Marshall!

Here we are with our completed tree!

It's really feeling like Christmas now. I can't believe there are only 19 days left before Christmas.

So putting up our tree made me wonder why we put up a tree in the first place. Here's what the end-all, be-all of the internet says (aka Wikipedia):

The Christmas tree is a decorated evergreen coniferous tree, real or artificial, and a tradition associated with the celebration of Christmas. The Christmas tree is often brought into a home, but can also be used in the open, and can be decorated with Christmas lights (originally candles), ornaments, garlands and tinsel during the days around Christmas. An angel or star is often placed at the top of the tree, representing the host of angels or the Star of Bethlehem from the Nativity. The tradition of decorating an evergreen tree at Christmas started in Livonia and Germany in the 16th century.

The tradition of the Christmas tree as it is today known is fairly young. It was established by Martin Luther as a Protestant counterpart to the Catholic Nativity scene. Luther established the Christmas tree as a symbol of the Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden.

Huh. I had no idea. See? Here at a Few Sprinkles Short we aim to educate! 19 days until Christmas! I can't wait!