A Brief History of Our Christmas Trees

Last night we celebrated Jody's birthday by putting up the Christmas Tree. It's an annual event, an event she cherishes. Miles, Claire, and Taylor came over. Jode and I had spent the afternoon cleaning and re-arranging so we could make room for the tree, even though this years is smaller than recent trees. Which partly meant that some of the ornaments didn't make it to display this year. Oh well. And I see this morning one of them was batted off by the cats, and another completely shredded. 

The first hiccup was the lights. Jody had some strings of the older style bulbs, meaning bigger, not the little pencil point style. And every time she plugged one in, the fuse would blow. So off to the store to score some LEDs. And then another store, while the rest of us watched Family Guy and Simpsons. Eventually she came back, the lights went on, and the decorating started, among the chuckles, a little beer, and delicious cupcakes Claire had baked that we turned into a version of Suzy Qs. Claire's cupcakes are to die for. Especially the Chocolate/Peanut Butter. 

And then it was done. At least for the most part. The four of us just hung stuff where there was an empty place on the tree. Jody however will now spend the next couple weeks tweaking this arrangement. She has favorites, so she might move them to the front of the tree from where I might have hung it. And as the tree fills more of her vision and imagination, she'll balance it so to speak. Me? I sit back at the end of the night, and marvel at this occasion. There are papers, metal, glass, ceramic, feathers, ribbons, all congregated together in various shapes and colors, and while I bask in this visionary delight, the smell of the tree wafts over me as it warms up and falls open.

Jode finally sat down to check her e-mail, and opened the computer to find a birthday card. We never did crack open the bubbly which I had bought her. I suppose maybe Christmas day. Or not. She relaxes in the glow of the tree to answer Facebook birthday blessings from her friends, while I go to bed. I like this part of year, as her birthday really melds together a time where we spend more time together as a family, as human beings celebrating the turning of the time and by honoring one another by giving gifts. In our house it starts on the 7th, when the tree goes up, a new display of colors, sounds, and fragrances fill the air at our house.