Who Put Jesus in a Burrito?

Berries, pine cones, and frosted branches!

Christmas trees fascinate me; I am drawn to them, like a moth to flame. I study them, deciding what it is that I love, and figuring out if it's something I could copy at home. We bought a new tree this year, and I am in love. It was "half off," if I can believe that. Seriously, weeks before Thanksgiving, the store marked EVERY Christmas item half off, which probably means they jacked the prices up so they could reduce the prices to something less horrifying. Okay, that was my inner Scrooge emerging; sorry.

This year I decided to drape a gauzy, shimmering garland that must be about two feet wide around the tree. What a beautiful product THAT is. And what a pain in the butt to get it wrapped around the tree. It's like trying to put on nylon stockings with fancy rings on every finger. That fabric catches on every little thing.

After snagging the ribbon all over the top few branches, I got smart. I stuffed the garland in part of a gift wrap tube I'd snipped to shorten it, and then I could bypass all of the snafus which dangling ribbons create. I just fed the tube through the branches, allowing the ribbon to fall out as I threaded the tube through the branches. I know; my brilliance surprises me, too. I expect MENSA will be contacting me after the holidays to see if I'm interested in joining their illustrious group.

Look closely, and you will notice the lace valance is being pulled over by a guide wire. This is
the Christmas tree that fell over several times before we got smart, and used a wire and hooks
to keep the tree upright.

Over the years, I've tried just about every tree there is: real (that  one became a serious fire hazard because I like my tree up for about a month and a half); real, ultra large (fell over about five times before we wired it to the window frames); artificial (that one smacked of fake-ness); and flocked (that one left a crumbly, white mess for me to clean for the next several weeks).

One of our ornaments is my very favorite, a small handmade clay ornament of Jesus in the manger that I purchased at a holiday boutique when Sierra was born.

Many years later, when my youngest was old enough to talk, the children and I were in the living room decorating our large live tree. Bridger tapped me on the back as I was unpacking the Christmas ornaments.

"Mama, look, somebody put Jesus in a burrito!" 

That is exactly what it looked like. No wonder I love that ornament so much; it combines my favorite holiday with my favorite cuisine.  

Every year, he smiles as we retell the story of Jesus in the burrito. One day, I'll give my favorite ornament to him, so he can tell HIS children the story from his childhood Christmas.  

Feliz Navidad!