Some Random Things About Our Christmas Tree
1. I like that because we live in the city, Joe and I just walk over and buy a tree from the same kid from Georgian Bay every year, and then carry the tree home though the street. I'm sure cutting one down in the forest has a certain feel to it too, but this is how we rock it urban style.
2. It snowed a little while we were doing it. Very festive.
3. I decided that Sam was old enough to take charge of the Christmas lights.
4. I am very particular about putting up the lights. I have certain lights that go up on the inside branches, and others that go on the outside branches and I have strong feelings about the distribution of same. I know that this seems overly serious, but the Christmas tree is important to me, and there are only going to be probably fifty trees that I put up in my lifetime and I don't see why any of them shouldn't be really all that they can be.
5. I know that's intense.
6. That's why I make Sam wear the light up antlers that play "Oh Little Town of Bethlehem." Keeps it light. 
7. The antlers may not be Sam's favourite part, but I just keep telling the kids we're building memories.
8. The tree is up and it is perfect. Sam did a great job. Now I feel like Christmas is really coming along.
9. It's really hard not to feel that way with a ten foot tree in your living room. 
10. I love it. It makes me want get the whole Christmas done, and I think it is speeding up the knitting. I should have three things finished tomorrow. The tree is magic.
Gifts for Knitters 3:
I know it's confusing, buying things for knitters, because not all knitter stuff works like regular stuff. With regular stuff once you have a thing you probably don't need another one of it, and it in knitting there's some stuff like that, but this isn't one of them. With this gift, it doesn't matter if your knitter already has one or two (or three or four) they could probably use another one. It's project bags. I'm not talking about the big knitting bag/purse/backpack that your knitter carries around, I'm talking about what your knitter puts the project that's in his backpack in to keep it from getting a pen tangled in it, or getting it muddled with the other projects that are in the bag. (Project bags are also great if your knitter has pets. Keeps the layer of dog or cat stuck to the wool at a minimum. ) These are pretty easy to buy, because there are so many kinds and types and because most knitters have a lot of kinds of projects, you've got a good chance at getting a match. I like these ones from Stitchy McYarnpants - they're mostly vintage and vintage-look. The Dancing Sheep has ones with holiday prints (and socks. I like the socks one) Slipped Stitch Studio has about five awesome options - size wise, and it's hard to beat the utility of the Tom Bihn ones (I find mine pretty water-resistant, if that's the sort of thing that matters to your outdoorsy knitter. Looking for a stocking stuffer? WEBS has these inexpensive cotton ones. Go nuts, and - since knitters love it when you make them stuff, if you're any good at the sewing machine, you can get creative yourself.
Just about any sort of bag is going to be handy to a knitter. Just remember NO velcro. It's one of yarn's few natural enemies.
Gifts for Knitters 4
Obviously, this is going to be for a specific sort of knitter who is not me at all, but I keep thinking that my friend Beth would be pretty wild for it. They're knitting related nail decals. These ones have green and blue stockinette on them... and these ones? Balls of yarn. Ridiculously entertaining - for someone else, you understand. Looking for something like that for a knitter with less "joie de vivre" in the fingernail department?
How about the super funky Soakboxes - Yarn, wool wash, hand creme, a pattern and a nail polish that matches. Bam. For the co-ordinating knitter? Should do the trick.