For several days, we have been waiting for the opportunity to put up the Christmas tree. Several things have been getting in the way, but today was the day that everything came together. Excitement filled the air as we started the process of putting everything together.
My stepdaughter came up with the idea of having a real tree. It was a great suggestion because there is something special about a real tree. We had them a few times as I was growing up, and I can remember how good they smelled. However, a real tree meant some other things had to be done. We needed to get new lights because the artificial tree has its own lights. We also needed to get a stand that would handle a real tree.
We headed out to Target to get the stuff before picking out a tree. The day started out well. There was a great lunch. We were having fun pushing the cart through Target and making our way to the Christmas corner. We got a bunch of lights before checking out the ornaments.
That’s when things got a little dicey. I guess we all had a different idea about decorating the tree. My wife wanted something traditional with traditional colors. I guess traditional is the right word. I wouldn’t call it fancy, but I would say that she wanted something nice.
My stepdaughter was thinking of something fun and colorful. That sounded good to me because I have always thought Christmas should be fun. Without realizing that there was a difference of opinion, I said something about fun and colorful being a good idea. Hindsight by the pound is cheaper than foresight. In hindsight, I should have just let them work it out.
We went with the colorful ornaments, but I wasn’t finished saying things that I should have kept to myself. My wife had been talking about flocking the tree, and I had a question about it. If we were getting a real tree, then why would we put fake snow on it? That seems to defeat the purpose of getting a real tree. If that’s the case, then shouldn’t we just get a fake tree that was already flocked? As you can imagine, the release of my inner Spock didn’t go over very well. Now, I know what to do with my inner Spock – keep him innered.
With the trimmings purchased, it was time to purchase the tree. There a couple of places near the house, and we picked one of them. By this time, the cold precipitation of the past few days was coming back. We walked through the forest of cut trees and picked one out. The guys who ran the tree stand looked something like these guys.
Don’t know them? Well, they like banjo music and Ned Beatty.
We got out of the woods better than Burt Reynolds with a bow and a canoe.
The tree is in the garage drying from the rain, and the Christmas tree adventure will continue tomorrow. Hopefully, I will convince my wife to flock the tree before then.
SBI: A Thinning Crowd 
We had a real tree every year for decades. One day, as we were dragging out the dead one and it was filling every corner of the house with dry pine needles, I said NEVER AGAIN! And so it has been. The dogs don’t pee on it. The needles don’t show up in the rug and sofa months after the holiday is over. Best of all, I don’t have to crawl on hands and knees to water it. Pine room spray and some candles for that gen-u-ine piney scent!! Merry Christmas!
I thought you were going to say that a wild creature jumped out of it.
I hope there is a part 2 to this story. It can only get better….. the last time we had a real tree, my husband was no where to be found so the kids and I drug home a tree in the back of the truck, never thinking to look at the trunk of the tree, which ended up being way too big for the tree stand. I went out to the shop, to get a saw, and all I could find was a little hacksaw. I sawed and sawed and sawed and swore (in front of my kids) until I thought my arm would fall off. Never again. Putting up the tree should be fun!
There will be a second part. It just hasn’t happened yet. The story you just told sounds like a blog post in the making. Thanks for commenting.
I enjoyed reading about your Christmas tree adventure — it brought back memories of my first Christmas as a new husband. Now when it’s time to decorate the tree I just do what I’m told. Things work out much better that way.
I am learning quickly.