Thus begins the season

Put up the tree. Created an avalanche of Christmas boxes in the closet under the stairs. Assembled tree upside down, righted it. Cut the tape off the boxes of ornaments, discovered lost beloved toys stuffed in with them, which made Gavin happy. Filled advent calendar boxes with chocolates. Gavin helped hang ornaments, and opened the box of tree chocolates. He's a great kid. I walked up to the store to buy a power strip for the lights. After a bit of pantomime, the dollar store guy figured out what I was looking for and rang me up, asking "Where the sweetie? Home with Grandma?" It's kind of comforting being such a familiar face that the clerks at the stores know our family. Picked up some holiday booze next door, winding up at the register with the underage cashier who always analyses my choices. "This is good, I always get anything that says Puerto Rico on it," she said. Walked back home. "Mom," I said, "You're the dad, put up the star." We've got the star up, and Po is sleeping on the stockings. We're good to go.

Gavin hanging ornaments:



 The face I made when the flash went off unexpectedly: