Yippee, A Christmas Tree Spree with Me, Bridget!

There are only 23 days until Natale (Christmas)!  That means that, despite the rain and lack of sturdy gingerbread houses, it is time to wrap presents and decorate and listen to Christmas music! 

Oggi I went for a run, and then Gene and I went to the PX, which was full of the wonder of Christmas, like so:

There were giocattoli (toys) there too:

We stopped in at the Commissary.  Gene found this angry-looking pretzel:

Then we went to find an albero di Natale (Christmas tree)!  This is the one we picked out:

The tree man helped Gene get it in the macchina (car):

The bottom of it was right next to my head:

I helped Gene get it out of the macchina, kind of:

We tried getting it in the stand, but the trunk was too narrow:

Gene found some tile to make the tree fit better:

So here's the albero:

"Wow!" thought Phantom.  "A tree of my very own!"

But Phantom was flummoxed by the decorations.  "I have no thumbs!" he despaired.

So Gene figured out the lights:

Then Gene and I figured out the garlands:

We put up the important things, like the stockings...

...and the carolers...

Fun Fact: Gene likes to hide the collection bucket behind a caroler because he's
uncomfortable with the idea of people asking for money in his living room.

...and La Befana, the strega (witch) who comes on l'Epifania (the Epiphany) to bring stuff to i bambini (the children):

Later, Annie Cate and I decorated the albero.  Here it is after we finished:

Phantom helped by guarding the pupazzo di neve/pinguino (snowman/penguin) wrapping paper:

And here is an enthralling video of Phantom helping Gene vacuum up pine needles:



Ciao tutti from me, Bridget!