I bought our first Christmas tree from The Bay in 1992. We were living in an apartment that didn’t allow real trees, something about a fire hazard. The model that adorns our living room now, was so popular, the floor display was available to staff in early December. 21 years on, this faux Douglas fir is looking a little worse for wear. She drops as many needles as if she were real.

We had no money, so we made most of the decorations. The store-bought items still bear the markings of discounts in years gone by. I have not acquired anything new in a very long time. Unless you count the myriad of class-made presents my children have presented over the years. I can’t bear to throw them away. So my “style” of decoration has become home-made chic. The very thing I vowed never to accept in my life, back when I was younger and maybe more hip.

I do have a few standards. The lights have to go on first and they need to be done in a certain way. Truth be told, I realized today, I have paid so little attention to decorations in recent years, I almost didn’t have enough lights for the whole tree. I remembered when I was running out, that I need to buy a new string every year to account for the one that dies. So I’m down at least one this year.

As it turns out, my daughter doesn’t have the stamina for decorating a Christmas tree. She refused to put all the bows on. That was after I let her clump everything of the same style all in one spot. She begrudgingly put all the bows on after I had to start counting her. Really. That is not in the spirit, for either one of us.

However, my husband has carols playing in the kitchen and is making dinner. My son is greatly relieved after realizing that he did not mistakenly ruin his iPod. He is almost singing for joy! Not the most traditional way to start the season, but we walk to the beat of our own drum.