There is no Christmas tree in our house this year. And there are many reasons for this. A main reason is that the Mom in the house (aka ... me) is just not feeling well. The nausea comes in waves, and while I do not throw up, I am basically useless to myself or my family, during a bad wave. I can't eat anything and the only thing that brings me relief is to be asleep in my bed. (Not usually possible with two little two-year-olds in the home!)
John and I decided that some things would have to give during this time. Decorating for Christmas is one of them. We will be doing something a bit "unconventional" for Christmas this year (more of that to come after the holiday passes). So we let the decorating go.
There are a few things out. A few candles and items I thought the boys would enjoy. There
were three snow globes but now there are two. Elijah thought one of them would look much better smashed to smitherines on the floor below!
But the
main reason there is no tree in our hosue this year is that we've always been a
real tree family. This is mostly at JB's request. He loves the smell and so each year we go and buy a new tree. But here in Turkey, there are no trees to buy. Everyone has a fake tree.
Well, let me correct that statement. There are a few trees for sale at the BX. Below is an example of one of the trees available for purchase for a mere NINETY DOLLARS!
I kid you not folks! It is almost comical. Do people really buy these? I certainly hope not. I'm already missing my family a lot right now. We are all a bit homesick. Everyone on Base I think. And to add
this tree to our home would just bring a constant reminder that we are not at home for the holidays. That we are in another country. A country that doesn't celebrate Christmas at all. (They decorate some but it is all in celebration of the "New Year"). The holidays are a hard time to be away from home and this tree ... oh my ... there is so much I could say about this tree. But I'll stop here. Apparently Turkey doesn't have any other options for us outside of this tree. Oh my.
We decided to pass on purchasing this tree and just go tree-less. I think we made the correct decision, don't you?
8 comments:
I'm so sorry that you are still feeling so sick. To say that I can relate is an understatement. Somehow though, after the sick part, I completely forget how awful the first three months were and am able to thoroughly enjoy the rest of my pregnancy. Hope it will be the same for you!
Thank goodness for Hatice otherwise your toilets might look similar to how mine looked during that time...I think some gas stations might have been cleaner. :-/ OK, so not really, but that is how I felt.
Praying for you friend!
Sorry about the tree situation, that would make me so homesick! But congrats on knowing what battles to fight and what to let go with all that you have going on. And can I say "$90!!!! Who buys those?!?!?)
Dana
WOW...I LOVE Charlie Brown Christmas Trees but that is a bit crazy! I mean if it were $5-10 buck I would buy it b/c it reminds of CB but $90? WOW! We don't have a tree this year either! No worries. Christmas still happens w/or w/o a tree!
It's not how you decorate - it's how you celebrate! Can't wait to hear what you end up doing. Can you imagine how you'd be guarding that tree from the boys? They would give you a run for your money. Totally understand that sick feeling and I hope it passes soon for you!
Activity ideas for kids, some are winter or holiday related some are not....pretend iceskating using paperplates under their feet with music like musical chairs, make a paper snowman and draw circles with dates between Christmas and new years and add a cotton ball or snow ball each day until it's new years day, pick a color and have a scavenger hunt around house and gather items that are that color and them have someone else guess what color it is.
i almost went tree-less this year. i am not in another country, but we have always been a REAL tree family. in my 34 years, i have always had a real tree. my husband is afraid of fire... or it's just a good excuse to get a fake tree and be ale to have it up for like three months. i didn't feel like arguing about it this year, so i broke down and got a fake tree. i'm not happy about it... it doesn't provide the same "christmas" feeling (i know it's not about the tree or the decorations, but the decorations DO remind you of the season when you still have the same every day craziness of life!). it's a tree, and it's decorated, and you don't have to water it... but it doesn't smell like a tree and it just doesn't do it for me. so yeah, you probably made the right decision, as unfortunate as it is. =) merry christmas and feel better!
that tree is pathetic!!!
Just for you to listen for next year --we used to go cut down (okay dig out) our tree at a mosque that grew Christmas trees to make money...but there are more people celebrating Christmas in indonesia than Turkey I think...I remember one year Cara cried cuz our "real" tree looked like a huge bush and we had to tie it to the wall with string to keep it standing...then there was the year we hung a green towel on the wall...people ask me what my traditions are and i say our tradition is we did something different every year...sounds like you have a good start on that. I will pray for your homesickness :( love Tante Jan
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