Tree-trimming traditions add to memories

Trimming the Christmas tree is as essential for the holidays as mistletoe and Rudolph. Although chaos may abound when the whole family is involved in the festivities, tree trimming parties can offer tinsel-covered memories to last a lifetime.

If you are looking for some ways to get your family involved in the tree-trimming fun, here are some ideas.

*Pick a tree: Of course, there can be no tree-trimming without a tree to trim. If your family prefers a live tree, make it a family outing. Find a location that sells live trees and let everyone have a say in which to bring home. If you are more of an artificial tree lover, let the kids help. Most detachable limbs are color coded, and even younger kids can help sort the limbs by color. Older kids can help attach them, and everyone can help fluff and make it beautiful.

*Make it a party: turn on the tree lights, turn up the Christmas music, and have a grand old time, rocking (and decorating) around the Christmas tree. Serve hot chocolate and watch a Christmas movie when the decorating is done.

*Make homemade ornaments: Not only does this give valuable family time, it lends itself to memories for years to come. (When children get older, the ornaments they made can be passed down to them when they start their own family.) Garland can be made from attaching paper cutouts or stringing popcorn (although you might not want to hand down the latter), while ornaments can be made in many ways. Cinnamon stick or candy cane reindeer can be a colorful way to add some fragrance to your tree.

*Ornament scavenger hunt: Organize a ‘round-thehouse’ scavenger hunt, where everyone looks for anything that could be an ornament. Toy cars, building blocks, and dolls can all be suitable ornaments for a fun tree.

*Don’t forget outside: Help children make environmentally- friendly ornaments to place in an outside tree. Peanut butter/birdseed pinecones, popcorn garland, and oranges with cloves all give an air of the holidays to the outdoors, while offering a wintertime snack for wildlife, as well.

Children love to decorate, and will decorate anything that stands still long enough. Let them. Yes, the ornaments may end up mostly at the bottom of the tree, or there may be a bare side, but the memories made will last longer than most, because it was done together.