Christmas chaos

In the last few years, we have had rather orderly Christmas decoration patterns. We cut the tree right after Thanksgiving but delayed decorations until nearly the end of Advent. We put outdoor decorations up a bit earlier. That was our pattern.

Not this year! The grand-babies want the decorations in view NOW. So at their insistence the tree has ornaments, nearly all at the height a six year old can reach or below, and tonight, rope tinsel has appeared. Jamie was NOT accepting further delay.

If you have never put tinsel on a tree with the help of a 3 year old and his sister, complete with a tug of war over who put what where, and seen the results, you have missed a delight. The tree is beautiful. It is the grand-baby's tree: they have made it what we see.

So far Sue-Z and I have held out and there is no angel on the tree top.

Some chaos is a good thing, even if I broke up the tug of war. Having the loving anticipation of the grand-babies drive the tree is I think a very good thing. Maybe we need less order in our lives. I think the communion does. We need to see the Christ-child and His coming through the eyes of children who will smile and think it is beautiful with less theology and order.

The great problem with orthodoxy and orthopraxy is that they are ortho something. Chaos coming from love is sometimes a better way.

FWIW
jimB