I LOVE THE HOLIDAYS!
We got our Christmas tree yesterday. Living out here in the country, we drive a mile down the road to the Christmas tree farm - one of two in this very small town - choose a tree from a selection covering 200 acres and cut it down. It's not exactly like being pioneers, but it's a bit more rustic than buying one from the boy scouts in the WalMart parking lot.
Since his kids are grown now, Paul bought an artificial tree a few years ago. I invited him to come along with us this year to cut a real tree. It was fun - wicked COLD - but fun. Once we'd chosen a tree, the kids went off to play with the cat tails by the pond. You know, if you squeeze those things, the seeds inside burst out in the most incredible way. Try it sometime!
We got home, drank hot chocolate and decorated the tree. I fetched a couple of the presents I'd wrapped and placed them under the tree, just to look festive. After dinner, my 12-year-old son decided to see if he could find the other presents. (To his credit, he did first ask if all the presents were already wrapped.) He spent about 30 minutes, having the greatest time searching. Just when I was sure he was never going to find them, he did just that! He spent the next thirty minutes trying to guess the contents of the wrapped packages, failing miserably, but having a great time.
I just love Christmas!
posted by WordWhiz at 12/04/2005
9 Comments:
if you squeeze those things, the seeds inside burst out in the most incredible way
OK, THAT'S JUST OBSCENE!!
11:11 AM
"We got home....and decorated the tree." Just like that!!?? No troubles with the tree stand? No water on the floor? No fir needles stuck in the eye? No sweeping, mopping, crying and gnashing of teeth? You ought to sell this plan, "Martha."
5:12 PM
I have a SMALL house, therefore it's a SMALL tree. (5'?) Paul carried it in, put it in the stand and the kids and I screwed it in place. PRESTO! Christmas Cheer!!
8:44 PM
Sounds wonderful! I don't know if we'll get a tree yet because I'm not sure if we'll be here or at my brother's Christmas week. If we're here, we'll get one but we have to get it close to Christmas and keep it up for no longer than two weeks. Why? Well, if the tree stands in water for three weeks or longer, there's some sort of tree mold that grows in the water that triggers an asthma attack for my daughter of the type that sends her to the hospital. How do we know this? Well, that's how we spent Christmas in 2001...we were in the hospital on Christmas eve, Christmas day, and the day after Christmas. She was hooked up to oxygen and struggling to breathe. In the end, she was ok with spending Christmas in the hospital because a) some sort of charity organization left a bag FULL of toys for all kids there on Christmas and b) she was allowed to eat ice cream and drink sprite for her Christmas meal. She's not allergic to the TREE ITSELF...just the mold that nearly always grows if the tree is in water for three weeks or so. Therefore, I usually get the tree about a week and a half before Christmas and take it down a couple days after Christmas just to be safe. That's worked so far.
2:46 AM
Kira: I used to have a horrible allergy to certain bug sprays. Every year when the town sprayed for gypsy moths, I'd break out in an awful rash. The same chemical is used in fake snow, used to decorate windows at Christmas. The same pesticide is used to de-bug Christmas trees. We had to buy ours and leave it outside to air out for a few days every year before decorating. And yeah...I learned all that the hard way.
5:19 AM
Nice story, WW. I'm feeling all warm and fuzzy. :)
8:18 AM
We always make it a two-family outing to cut our tree. Our favorite lot that had a warming barn with hot beverages and a wagon ride to the trees closed about five years ago. We haven't found a good replacement yet.
We go this Saturday.
9:36 AM
One of my favorite traditions is cutting down trees with my parents. Even though I've moved out, we still do it every year.
12:35 PM
We, sadly, have a fake tree. I could never remember to water the real ones, and the last straw was the year we got a tree with super sharp needles and I massacred my hands hanging ornaments. Ouch!!!
6:14 PM
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