Decorating A Christmas Tree

It Just Is Not "FUN" Anymore

Putting up a Christmas tree is just not fun any more.  It used to be such an exciting day when the children were small.  It was a big issue, a huge job and an extremely momentous event.  I can still feel the thrill of stomping through snow that reached well above our knees, as the five or us, my husband, our three kids and I, searched through the woodland for just the right tree to grace our living room for the holiday season.

When we brought it home, we would very carefully maneuver a heavenly smelling spruce - or, if we were really lucky to find - a fully-branched Scots Pine, (the ultimate prize) through the door that was always way, way too narrow an opening to get through, then drop down panting - often on the floor to rest after the struggle.  Always there were excited, smiling faces, eagerly waiting for us to get up and start setting it up.

Tree decorations were few and simple, a silver star for the top, some old garlands that were begging to be retired years ago, a few plastic and several handmade paper decorations to hang on the tree plus a few very colorful glass balls that were more precious than gold because they were so fragile. (I have wrecked my brain trying to remember where those glass balls came from,  but for the life of me I cannot remember.) They were just there from as far back as I could remember.  I recall buying a couple of strings of Christmas lights after we got hydro in,  so it was really such a special pleasure to see the Christmas tree all lit up. The smell in the house was always of a fresh pine forest.  That was always the added bonus.

Now I have many fancy decorations, lots of flickering colored lights  not just for my artificial tree but for the whole apartment, but the Christmas season lacks its most important ingredient --- the excitement in the eyes of eager children!

Anyway I know many homes are now decorating trees, and hallways, and stairs, etc etc. etc.  If you have kids to help you celebrate, enjoy that bonus!  They grow up and leave!  Me, I am going to spend Christmas with my GROWN-UP family.  Someday, - Hopefully - Great Grand kids! ( God willing, they will help me decorate a real tree!)    
Merry Christmas to all!