Mom in front of an early tree - in later years she got her trees from Earl May, who flocked them for us. And us - the early years when we put the tree downstairs at our first house. 'Lil Amy and Jud. Me in my cowboy sweather.
It's a monumental task each year. I don't know why. Does it have something to do with the fact that just after I put up the tree in 1991, Patrick was born and the month plummeted into despair and disbelief? Likely.
Or perhaps I've just turned into someone jaded towards the commercialism of Christmas. No matter what, the cause, both Paul and I are Scrooges when it comes to Christmas and the associated pageantry. The lights (his job) and the tree (my job after he brings it up from the basement - talked him into a fake one a couple years ago).
But once I get going - opening up the ornament boxes, pulling out the ornaments, I get in the spirit. It's a walk down memory lane. Starting with the ornaments that used to be on our tree when I was growing up. And the little decorations mom would put around with "angel hair". That fiberglass stuff that's now probably banned from existence due to health hazards.
We had a gingerbread house that she would get out each year. It looked so scrumptious to my little eyes. My God, it was probably stale as hell, but it represented the fantasy of Christmas to me.
The crystal ornaments I got when in Scandinavia with Mom in 1983 - the she bought over there are now mine too. Then we have the ornaments we've gotten since the kids were born. "Baby's first Christmas" We got a lot of those for Amy since she was born in October. Jud - January- none. The ornaments they made in school - some out of Popsicle sticks with their little pre-school pics in them. The Patrick ornaments - we got a beautiful hand-painted angel from the tree at Methodist when Patrick was there.
So it's a labor of love? of tradition? hmmm not sure. But still, even though we won't even be here most of Christmas week, and there won't be many gifts this year - we're going to Vail for Christmas and fingers crossed, to a bowl game after that, as God (and Odie) are my witness, the tree will go up.
Or perhaps I've just turned into someone jaded towards the commercialism of Christmas. No matter what, the cause, both Paul and I are Scrooges when it comes to Christmas and the associated pageantry. The lights (his job) and the tree (my job after he brings it up from the basement - talked him into a fake one a couple years ago).
But once I get going - opening up the ornament boxes, pulling out the ornaments, I get in the spirit. It's a walk down memory lane. Starting with the ornaments that used to be on our tree when I was growing up. And the little decorations mom would put around with "angel hair". That fiberglass stuff that's now probably banned from existence due to health hazards.
We had a gingerbread house that she would get out each year. It looked so scrumptious to my little eyes. My God, it was probably stale as hell, but it represented the fantasy of Christmas to me.
The crystal ornaments I got when in Scandinavia with Mom in 1983 - the she bought over there are now mine too. Then we have the ornaments we've gotten since the kids were born. "Baby's first Christmas" We got a lot of those for Amy since she was born in October. Jud - January- none. The ornaments they made in school - some out of Popsicle sticks with their little pre-school pics in them. The Patrick ornaments - we got a beautiful hand-painted angel from the tree at Methodist when Patrick was there.
So it's a labor of love? of tradition? hmmm not sure. But still, even though we won't even be here most of Christmas week, and there won't be many gifts this year - we're going to Vail for Christmas and fingers crossed, to a bowl game after that, as God (and Odie) are my witness, the tree will go up.
1 comment:
I put up our tree today; took all of five minutes. One of those 2 ft fiber optic thingies. I even put some bows on the garage lights. That's more than I usually do.
Christmas has always been a bummer for me and I don't really know why. I could understand if I had a reason like yours. I'm always glad when it's over. Bah humbug.
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