Traditionally, our Christmas tree goes up quite late in December. I attend to everything else that has to be done, and we get to the tree right before Christmas. There are several reasons. Dear Husband is allergic to the tree. I thought he was just allergic to touching it, but it seems he is also allergic to the scent. So, we put up a real tree, but we limit how long it's up. I think it went up on the 21st of December this year, and I'll take it down on January 3. That's a long stay.
When we went to bed at 1:00 on Christmas morning, the top foot or so of the tree still needed lights, and there were no ornaments on it. I managed to get that last section of lights on before my sister and her family arrived, but I needed help with the ornaments.
We have one huge box that holds the collections of ornaments that have been gathered over the past 20 years. I added hooks to the ornaments, and handed them to my oldest neice, who put them on the tree. This year, I purchased a dozen glass teardrops from an antique chandelier to be used as ornaments.
Niece #1 did a fine job decorating the tree. It was lovely. She started to move Christmas presents in around the base of the tree skirt when the tree began to tilt in slow motion. All I could think of was those glass teardrops shattering.
I have to tell you, she was really cool headed! She gave a yelp of surprise and then stuck her hand out to brace the tree. She held it until more bodies could move in to assist, and then helped to level the tree holder.
So....we credit her with the saving of Christmas! I'm sure it's a story that will be told again and again!
And....maybe it's time for us to finally consider an artificial tree. Won't DH be happy?
Comments (4)
Mine went up on the 20th...late. Who knows when it will come down?? March if I'm lucky!
Ours is artificial...going many years, but I do miss the smell of a real one.
Your story of the near falling of the tree reminds me of a few years back when we had a grey cat named Smokey. He was my sister's, I am not fond of cats.
Anyway, that year my Mother had received a gift of a bird....a Christmas decoration that chirped from a customer. She used to work in a flower shop. We put it up into the tree near the top in a conspicuous place and liked it. However, Smokey who was quick on the scane did not take to the new addition. He sat and braced himself in front of the tree and after positoning himself for attack for a while he leaped at the tree, biting the bird which he would not let go off and felled the tree in the fracas that ensued. The bird never chirped again and we had to salvage the tree! :-) The whole scene was quite hilarious.
Posted by Dr. D. | December 29, 2003 7:16 PM
Posted on December 29, 2003 19:16
Reading your commentary about the almost loss of your tree and Dr. D's made me laugh even harder ~ remember the short lived Psycho Cat from hell we had Buffy? She managed one year to keep our tree on the floor more than in the upright position then causing the dogs to chase her around the tree ~ ugghhh ~ thank goodness that cat left right after that New Year rung in!!! This was our first year trying out an artifical tree and everyone is very pleased with it ~ I might just make it a normal event around here ~ plus much easier especially when lights are already placed on it *big grin*.
Posted by Jamie | December 30, 2003 12:50 AM
Posted on December 30, 2003 00:50
...wot no pictures :^)...
Posted by billy | December 30, 2003 4:51 AM
Posted on December 30, 2003 04:51
I really wish I had pictures of that tree save. The tree tilted in the slowest of slow motion and her save was amazing.
Doc, we have a lot of friends who describe their cats climbing the trunk of their trees and then stretching out on the branches. One woman said it scared the bejezus out of her to look at the tree and see these eyes looking back at her! I'd hate to think what that cat would have done with a mechanical bird......can't you see bits of evergreen everywhere!!??
James.....I forgot that Psycho cat. I hope it found a happy home with cat lovers.
Posted by Buffy | December 30, 2003 5:18 PM
Posted on December 30, 2003 17:18