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Not So Perfect Parent BLOG |
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April 2008
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I insist on a real tree. Sure, it’s a fire hazard and months later you get splinters in your toes from dried-out needles on the floor, but it’s a tradition I refuse to surrender. This year, we loaded up the children and headed to a small Texas town to purchase O' Tannenbaum. Having to consider height, condition and shape, it took an hour selecting the perfect one. The sales associate seemed to lose his holiday spirit as he propped up the thirty-sixth option for my critical review. However, we finally had a winner! As we loaded the tree into my husband’s truck, I went to pay for our new holiday friend. The sales associate, thrilled to be rid of us, said “That will be $96.00.” “WHAT!” I cried, “$96.00!! That is ridiculous!!” Looking defeated and on the verge of tears, the sales associate sheepishly said, “Do you want to select a less expensive tree?” My husband and I decided not to unload the 8-foot giant from his truck and instead suck up the unexpected expense and make the most of it. When we returned home, we had to clip some branches to get it into the front door and then struggled to position the trunk into our decade-old Christmas stand. However, we finally had the tree upright and it stood proudly in our living room. I turned on some Christmas music and the decorating began. I was impressed at the remarkable patience my husband exhibited after the fourth strand of lights would not ignite. He kept his cool as he painstakingly wrapped each branch for full illumination. The children were invited to participate and I was filled with the Christmas Spirit hearing my two-year-old sing, “O Twesmas Twee, O Twesmas Twee.” My oldest remarked, “Santa is going to love our tree!” With all the decorations in place, it was time to place the angel at her rightful position at the top of our glorious tree. Extra trimming was required in order for the cherub to fit atop the branches. We all stood and watched as my husband prepared her roost. As he clipped the final branch, we heard unexpected popping noises and a series of sparks as the top half of the tree went dark. Our magical moment was further interrupted as a few choice words spilled out of my husband’s mouth. He clipped the lights. As a result, we had to remove all the decorations and re-light the tree. By this time, my husband and I were no longer speaking and the children had departed the scene trying to bring back the mood by watching “Sponge Bob Christmas.” It took hours to get the tree fully restored. The next morning, we loaded up the children again and were off for more holiday fun. After spending a day amidst the post-Thanksgiving shopping frenzy, the children could not wait to return home to the beautiful Christmas tree. As we walked in the door, there was our tree…lying flat on our living room floor… ornaments broken and scattered around the room…the angel in a full handstand (a not-so-lady like position) and lodged between branches and our couch. We all stood there, speechless, until my little one said, “Santa IS NOT going to love our tree!” 2 CommentsLeave a comment |
That is hilarious and really could only happen to you. :)
I can't believe you purchase a real tree for the sake of " Christmas Spririt" Do you know how many ten and thousands of Christmas trees die each year because some poor sap wants to enjoy the Christams spirit?
Forget about global warming or the thinning of our ozone due to massive slaugher of anything green and living in our country. After all- It's in the name of Christmas!
Save a tree- purchase a life like artificial tree and save the enviroment and potentially your house (they are fire retardent)
Merry Christmas