A Very Merry Christmas

A Leaning Tree & Loyal Companions

There’s something honest about a Christmas tree that leans just a little.

Ours does. It tilts toward the light, as if listening in on the room. We considered straightening it once or twice, but decided against it. Some things don’t need fixing when they already feel right.

The living room has taken on that familiar holiday hush. Lights glow softly against blue walls. The ornaments don’t match, and the branches aren’t perfect, but the warmth is unmistakable. Piki has claimed her favorite path across the floor, weaving in and out of the tree skirt as if inspecting her kingdom. Eva, ever watchful, keeps her post nearby, content simply to be where everyone else is.

This time of year slows things down. Even the house seems to breathe differently. Coffee cools on the table. Blankets are pulled closer. The world outside can wait.

What I love most is how animals understand the season without needing an explanation. They settle. They stay close. They remind us that comfort isn’t found in perfection, but in presence.

The leaning tree will be taken outside to live on the back porch eventually, making way for the brand new 65" Samsung TV that we "had to have" a few days before Christmas. The lights will be packed away. But for now, we’ll leave it just as it is. A little crooked. Fully loved. Surrounded by loyal companions who don’t mind at all.