Ye Olde Christmas Chain. Again.

I am often guilty of working too hard in creating moments when the best moments are usually spontaneous.

I am frequently guilty of contriving glorious traditions when my family is pleased with simple favorites.

This is revealed to me every year when I think about our basic Paper Chain.  The one made of strips of red and green construction paper.  The typical little decoration that my children cherish.

We were ready December 1 and we’ve been guns blazing ever since.

(Well.  No guns blazing.  I’m probably not a person qualified to even use that phrase.  I have, however, watched the movies Tombstone and Young Guns a plethora of times, so maybe I’m more qualified than I realize.)

At any rate.

Christmas Chain it is.

It’s back.

It’s incredibly simple.

And it is most beloved.

(The chain does its job well, in my opinion.  Too well.  The days of December legitimately morph away at a painfully quick rate.)

Our chain is filled with little treats for this season – baking afternoons and Christmas movie nights and a few special traditional outings.

We’ve decorated the tree and had a Shakespeare Reader’s Theatre with friends.

We’ve made pipe cleaner ornaments and watched Elf.

Today we saw a theatrical version of The Best Christmas Pageant Ever.  We’ve got a night outing planned to view the Christmas lights.  (London claims we always eat donuts in the car as we drive from lights to lights.  I don’t actually recall this being a part of this annual drive, but who am I to argue with donuts?)

We’ve journeyed to Bethlehem and created tasty needletip cookies and played games with friends.

The Christmas chain is pretty basic and it never really measures up to any decorating standard – but it’s pretty magical to the five kids living in our house – which is why we keep cutting and stapling each year.