THE HOLBROOKS PICK A CHRISTMAS TREE

picking out a christmas tree is just the type of satisfying decision-making that i really excel at. don't ask me to decide what i want for dinner or where we should go on a saturday afternoon, that stuff stresses me out, but put me in front of a stack of douglas firs, and i'll tell you what's what. 

every year i approach our family christmas tree with a kind of weird, spiritual mumbo jumbo, anne shirley type of determination. it's an emotional decision, you know? brandon's learned to nod his head patiently and say things like "whatever you want, honey!" and "yeah, i see what you mean," because too many years with me and you start to learn these things already. there are just some areas of life, you know? 

usually we go for the spindly types, but this year i wanted something bushy and a little bit rugged. but who am i kidding? only one type of tree seems to make it to manhattan, and that would be the pricey triangle type. so i did the best i could, you understand.

can i tell you though? walking through all these christmas tree lots every few blocks is just about THE most soul edifying experience in the world.

every year huck picks out his own tree because that's the sort of extravagance we're into. two trees in a tiny apartment that barely has room for one! my home is a forest! anyway, a kid shouldn't be subjected to his mother's idea of christmas cheer, and a woman's christmas tree is her castle, something like that.

blurry shot of the three of us?

nailed it.

so brandon's out of town this week on a business trip and so it's been on me to get the trees gussied up in his absence. and really, this is pretty silly, this christmas... brandon's gone this week, next week we're in utah for my sister's wedding (IT'S BACK ON), then we're all home for a week, and then we're off to portland for christmas day. we'll be home together all of two weeks this month so probably we don't even need a tree at all, but look! i'm too invested to go without a christmas tree by now! we're past that point! this is not a discussion! 

so, right.

the big girl by day...

...and by night.

huck's tree:

huck is so so so good these days. this year is going to be the most magical christmas! when i ask huck what he wants for christmas he always says a christmas tree. (when i ask him what we should get for his dad he always says, "work." :) i took him to the drugstore last week so he could pick out his very own special christmas tree star, and oh man. it was an epic night for henry holbrook. all week long when we've been out and about he'll stop to remind me. "hey mom! bemember my christmas star?" 

oh, i bemember it, huck. 

welcome, christmas! us holbrooks are ready for you!

p.s. we're doing christmas trees again this year! please share yours on instagram or twitter (or on your blogs) with the hash tag #heynataliejeanxmastrees. i'd love to share a few on the blog later this month! this is one of my favorite parts of christmas, i just really love looking through all the trees each night before bed. thank you so so much to those who share! (last year there were a few menorahs tagged in there too, and do you even know how much i love that!?!?)

p.p.s. on me:

allsaints coat

swedish hasbeens found on super clearance at my neighborhood shoe store

madewell tote (it looks like it's sold out, but these two are similar)

american apparel beanie

and on huck:

(huck is dressing himself these days, and i have to say, the man has style.)

american apparel sweatshirt and beanie

zara kids coat and jeans (last year)

vintage cowboy boots from my favorite antique shop in idaho

bow tie c/o colin's closet