Monday, December 03, 2007

We still have no Christmas tree up

And Younger Daughter and Youngest Son are getting quite upset about it, too.

Not so upset, mind you, that they'll actually help put the tree up.... Well, this may not be strictly true: Saturday afternoon, in the middle of an ice storm, when attempting to walk from the house to the garage would have been foolhardy even with both hands free and both eyes glued firmly on the surface, Youngest Son volunteered to go out to the garage and bring down the tree and all the ornament boxes.

I didn't want to put up the tree on Saturday. I wanted to go to the Emergency Room even less. So I vetoed the idea.

And all the kids claimed that they wanted to help with the tree on the day after Thanksgiving. Not that they would have modified their plans to go out or anything -- they just wanted that Norman Rockwell moment... unwrapping a favorite ornament... arguing with a sibling about where to hang a souvenir from long ago Cub Scout days or Sunday Pre-School... watching Dad lose his temper when checking a string of lights -- a string that had worked perfectly when the string was tangled up in a ball -- but when finally untangled refuses to light in whole or in part.... Once these timeless rituals have been observed, our children would quickly scatter to their various individual interests -- video games in the basement, sporting events in the den, or maybe someone else's home or (now that we have some of age) even a gin mill. Long Suffering Spouse and I would be left with the task of actually putting up the tree.

The traditional place for our tree has been cleared, now, in the living room. That spot by the front window is ordinarily occupied by a large potted shrub. This is a plant that Long Suffering Spouse had before we were married, I believe. It's certainly much larger now than it has been. It must be five feet tall.

It's increasingly difficult, I've noticed, for Long Suffering Spouse to find another corner of the living room to which the shrub may shifted for the duration of the holidays.

This morning, I had an inspiration. "Why move it at all?" I asked. We could put ornaments and tinsel on that? It seemed to me a very practical solution.

Long Suffering Spouse was not amused. Younger Daughter's screams of protest probably alarmed the neighbors.

Loud as my daughter's protests were, though, I'll bet my screams this coming weekend will be louder when the untangled lights no longer light....

5 comments:

Empress Bee (of the high sea) said...

you have given me a wonderful idea curmie! i shall decorate my palm tree. it is fake of course, i am not home enough to keep something real alive for long, well except for that lone african violet that refuses to die, but this shall be my plan! thank you!

smiles, bee
tyvc

landgirl said...

Everyone wants that Norman Rockwell moment, Cur. Last year my daughter put up a Christmas tree mostly for my sake, but this year I think we won't have a Christmas tree at any of the places we visit. Jeez, I thought I wa sbeing all sensible about it bu tas I typed those lines, I got a bit sad. If I were there, I'd help you put up the tree.

sari said...

We put our tree up last night! But we don't have an ice storm here.

Jeni said...

Our tree went up yesterday. My daughter and the stepgranddaughter have taken over doing that and I stay as far away from them as I possibly can since I have no artistic talent in arranging ornaments in the proper manner that my daughter always has in mind. Avoid arguments at all costs is my motto and that is a good way to steer clear of any upheaval.
Last night the granddaughter (age 4) was Hell bent on touching every ornament she possibly could get to and today, she pulled down the stocking hangers that spell N.O.E.L with the stockings on them and hung so prettily on the mantel. Her reason - she wanted to put the stockings on. I think she thought they were big boots or some such. So the stockings -hung by the chimney with care - well they no longer are there! Now to keep the stupid cat out of the tree is the other goal.

rdl said...

I think it was a great idea!!
If it makes you feels any better, ours are not up yet either. I can't seem to face it.