That Warm Glow

 Every year, it seems like I put up fewer decorations.  I thought I was down to bare bones this year;  a tree and some poinsettias.  Then I realized that we have nine Christmas trees and an Eiffel Tower all aglow, filling our house with warm, sparkly light.  Nine isn't too many, right?  The best example of my devotion to holiday cheer is the gold tree right next to my bed.  It literally shines directly into my eyes as I try to sleep, and it's bright!  But I don't want to turn it off and waste a moment of the Christmas season in the dark.  Holiday lights make me happy and content, even if they're shining aggressively in my eyes from three feet away when I'm trying to sleep.  It's Christmas!

 Downstairs theater room

 Music room.  Xanthe has one just like it in her room, but smaller and covered with a roll of ribbon.

 By the piano

 The star of the show, the living room tree.  It's not much from a design perspective, and it seems to collect assorted non-ornament items as the season progresses.  Also, I only put half the branches on it this year.  I wanted it to be closer to the wall and look more sparse, so half the greenery didn't make it out of the storage bin.  I like it better this way.  We leave the lights on 24-7.  I like it in the daytime, after school, in the evening, in the middle of the night...I sound like a Dr. Seuss book.

 TV room

 See, it's just as heartwarming in the daytime.

 Golda's room, sporting the same style of tree Free and Tolly, and Scott and I have in our room.  Not sure why I didn't take a picture of ours.  Maybe I was too sleep-deprived from the brightness.

 That one time it snowed.  For a minute.

 Ptolemy's list for Santa. His handwriting is so neat and fancy.  It's just a precious moment in time.

The glow of all these trees makes me feel so secure, so grateful and so at peace.  I especially like the quote behind this one.  It's a good thing to remember at this time of giving and receiving.  We already have it all.  But one more tree wouldn't hurt...