Christmas Tree Event {Post should be for 12/12}

We cut down our tree this past Saturday. Here's a pic of us with it at the farm. My FIL took the photo so please excuse the distance...not sure he knew how to use the zoom. I'm sure you get the idea though. We're decorating it gradually and I will post the completed effect at some point, I'm sure.

It's so nice to finally have a tree in the house. I just love the smell and the feeling of warmth that comes with it. We chose to install our SuperYard gate around the tree so that we didn't have to constantly harp on Simon about it. It's working quite well except that I think he's trying to figure out how to use objects to climb over the gate. *sigh* Next year, I'm sure he'll be fine as we've been visiting other decorated trees with no problems. I've taken to instilling the "one finger" rule and I think he gets the idea. It's so much fun!

Simon is also learning who Santa is. He can identify him at a 20 yard distance, LOL. I know there is a huge debate among parents these days (and I'm not looking to debate the subject) but my husband and I have decided that it's such a nice part of the secular holiday that we'd like to teach our child(ren) about it. In the future, when they ask about it, we'll let them know about the St. Nicholas and how his actions evolved into the myth of Kris Kringle/Santa Claus. For now though, it's nice to see Simon light up at the visage of the big man in red.