Wednesday, November 29, 2017

My Companion for the Next Month

This is our Christmas tree. A few years back, I bought a new tree when I couldn't take the annoyances of the previous one (which of course I can't remember now, but they were sufficiently annoying). I purposely got an unlit tree so I could string it with as many lights as I wanted. LED this time, so hopefully they wouldn't burn out too quickly.  I spent a long afternoon weaving lights in and out of branches on each section, keeping each section separate so I could easily take apart the tree and store it with the lights still on it. Several hours (and many, many expletives) later, we had our own prelit tree. It's been 4 years, I think (this being the 4th) and it's still going. I'm sure I just jinxed myself.

I did too good a job because my parents bought a 9 foot tree (!) and asked me to light it.  Sorry for all those cuss words, Mom.

My favorite part is that every ornament has a story. Maybe it's something we bought on clearance after Christmas because one of the kids liked the character. Maybe we got it on a vacation. Maybe it commemorates a birth, a new house, a hobby, a shared interest.  Maybe my dad made it from scratch in his garage. I know every one. (I'll share if you ask, but never force a story on someone.) There is even a whole separate tree for the kids' creations (and some of mine!) over the years.

It makes me so happy. History on a tree.

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