Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree

Last night Cole, Caroline, and I had a chance to decorate our Christmas tree as a family. It was so much fun and truly a special time spent as a family. Cole and I have adopted a tradition of collecting ornaments when we are able to go on trips. We have several pineapples from our honeymoon in Hawaii. the farmhouse from a visit to Blackberry Farm, a maple leaf from our delicious culinary tour through Montreal, and so many more. Each one is a reminder of time spent either together or in each others thoughts.

We also have ornaments that have been in our family for years. Some show a little wear and tear, some need new hooks from time to time, and together they tell a family history of sorts. On a number of occasions Cole and I found ourselves giving pause before hanging an ornament on the tree so we could tell Caroline the story behind the stuffed, bearded Santa, the glass pacifier (a gift when we found out we were expecting Caroline), and, of course, the always fun to hide pickle ornament! 

During many of the early holiday seasons at the bakery we rarely had a chance to get ornaments on the tree before Christmas Eve. We would get home after the last cake shipments had been sent and immediately race out to the door to a Christmas Eve party where we would always be warmly greeted and congratulated on making it through another holiday season. After that, we would frequently be too exhausted to put much more than the angel on the top of tree, but we were never too tired to spend time together and that's what made gathering around the tree so special.

I hope you all are having a wonderful holiday season spent with friends and family!

Eat Cake. Be Happy.