Danbury Family Strives for Norman Rockwell Christmas Moment for 7th Straight Year, Fails

Just like you, my family strives for that perfect Christmas moment.

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We aim for that Norman Rockwell picture, the memory that is just right and will last forever. We want to create that moment for our children and ourselves when we are in the center of magic, that moment where everyone is happy and everything looks just right.

Decorating the Christmas tree is the day when we try our hardest for some reason. My wife Erica has tried it all, the professional photographer, the matching outfits, new tree decorations, multiple trees and Christmas music.

She's busted out all of the tricks and every year we fall short in some regard. The kids fight over ornaments, dad has too much eggnog and the moment we'd hoped for, simply falls apart. We aim, we strive, and we fail because perfection is unattainable.

Maybe someone gets bored and sticks a beach ball in their shirt and takes a nap on the couch.

Maybe Dad says F--- it, breaks out the laptop and logs into work.

Maybe the kids get tired of it and grab their tablet to play.

Or you get it all just right, but your surroundings are not so magical. Maybe you just had a water problem that ate a hole through your ceiling right above the tree.

Why do we even bother? Why can't we be like those families on Instagram that get it right? Why can't we create a picture perfect moment? It's because, it's not real, the people that "get it right" only show you what they want you to see.

Their kids fight too, they argue over what song to play and their dad loses it too. There is no perfect moment, there are just attempts.

Trying for that family memory is worthwhile and whatever comes of it, is the memory you are supposed to have. We had a hole in the ceiling, I worked, Vida gave up, Lucas was bored before we even started and Erica ended up doing most of the tree by herself but we were together.

We had a few laughs, we made a memory and it was a memory that was perfect for us. Next year we will try again and next year, we will likely fall short of what we hoped but we will do it as a unit.

As I get older, I'm less interested in what things are supposed to be, and way more grateful for what they are. Erica says we are a hot mess, I'm down with our mess over any alternative.

P.S. Lucas made me laugh so hard, I didn't notice him sitting like that until I started working and I managed to keep my laughter to a low roar so I could capture that photo without him noticing.