Christmas is coming. (Yes, at my house we still call it CHRISTmas. Not "the holidays" or "winter break.") Anyhow, last week I dragged out the BIG Christmas tree from it's storage area in the garage, and put it together. Last year I put up the little tree, and it just wasn't the same.
the BIG tree is 7 1/2 feet tall and is one of those "pre-lit" jobbies. I got it all together and found that half of one row of lights didn't work. Too many years have passed to return the tree to Hobby Lobby where I purchased it. So, I spent two hours tracking down the problem, only to find that one of the sockets, way in the back near the "trunk" of the tree has a weird connector and the wire splits and goes two different directions after making a 180 degree turn in the connector, and that's where the current ends. (I had a special tool that detects the current in the wire, I am not an electrician). Obviously the wire is broken, thus the outage. I simply turned that portion of the tree to the back. Yesterday I carried in the ornaments and after putting on about 2/3 of them decided that "less is more." No one else really cares what my tree looks like anyhow, and I have to take it all down and put it away after Christmas, so I stopped decorating. I think it looks beautiful. Usually, the tree is so full of ornaments that one cannot enjoy each and every one, so this year I spaced them out and by doing that, I remember them one by one and the "story" that goes with each one.
I put up a few of my collection of Nativities. One is a small Victorian-era set and another is a hand carved set from Haiti. I always put out the one we got Kiddo when he was little. It's soft pliable plastic and the figurines are "kids." Those, along with a music box is the extent of my decorating so far. I keep thinking of other things I want to get out, so probably today I will rummage around in the garage and find the rest of the cherished, memory-holding things that seem to make the Christmas season a little brighter!
4 comments:
I know what you are going through! Over the years we have accumulated SO much stuff for decorating that it becomes challenging to find places to display it all!
Last year I reduced the number of ornaments on our tree as well. I used a different approach though....I put up TWO trees! LOL!! Somehow I don't think that helped simplify anything! :)
Looked nice though!
It sounds really beautiful. I can't wait to see it all. Someone offered us at work a 8-10 foot pre-lit tree. If we get it, do you wanna help put it up? He-He. I can just the hear the H--- no from here.
My favorite part is unpacking the decorations and remembering who gave them to us. And we still have a couple from our first tree,46 years ago.
Mel: When my wife was live, we put up 9 (yes, 9) trees varying in size from 12" to 7 !/2'. I still have almost all those decorations.
Curley: Of course I would help you put up a tree at your work. Just decorating with you would be fun in itself. (Oh, I forgot, I can't drink and decorate there.) LOL!
Marcia: I still have the tree top angel that my parents bought their first Christmas together in 1941. It's in sad shape, but I still keep it in tissue just for the sentimental value. That's an important part of Christmas for me; the sentimental memories.
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