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Christmas Tree Angst

Posting a semi-previous post until I get time to write!

So I almost got in a fight with my Christmas tree last night. We have a new tree and I am just not sure I like it yet.

We got one that is flocked.  That makes everything look different.  It is pre-lit with white lights.  It also came with these clear plastic dangly things held on to the ends of the branches by plastic string.  They’re supposed to be little decorations.  I call them… well, I can’t say that on here.  Grrrr.

I put blue lights on the tree, intending to go with a blue and silver theme this year. Something was missing. I put red lights on it and then felt like saluting the tree.  I had a red, white and blue tree.  Not quite what I had in mind.  I put blue and silver rope around the tree.  Now it just looked cheap and garish.  I felt like I needed to put it on a street corner so it could earn the money back we’d spent on it.  

Every step of the way, those dangly things caught onto everything – including my clothing – and fell off or created a tangled mess.  Then there were gaps in the tree and I couldn’t make the branches bend to cover the holes.  I stuck huge silver and blue balls in there but it just looked stupid.  I finally got mad and took everything off the tree, wrestling those dangly things all the way.  My intention was to re-do the red and blue lights (below is 2008 year’s tree).

Hubby came in and asked, “What ARE you doing??”

I replied that I was preparing to burn the tree down.

He was, understandably, concerned, “The heck you are.  You are NOT burning down that new expensive tree.”

I knew that but still.  So I replied, “And I am getting ready to cut all those stupid dangly things off because they tangle in everything I put on or near the tree, including me.”

His mistake, “Oh no, you’re not! You are not going to do that either.”

Oh NO???  Was that a challenge I could meet?  And win?  Yes!  I promptly got scissors and began cutting those stupid dangly things off the tree.

Common sense finally prevailed (plus there was a LOT of them) and I stopped cutting them off.  Didn’t matter.  They were propagating on the tree while we were talking and I was cutting.

I explained my problem and he agreed to put the lights back on the tree for me since I am a bit vertically challenged and had been fussing and cussing at the tree, the lights and those blasted dangly things.  I was NOT having a holly jolly Christmas.

He began putting the lights on – I heard a slightly muffled sound coming from behind the tree.  Could that have been a curse word?  Surely not!  But yes!  He had gotten tangled in the dangly things.

HA!  I am vindicated.  

He had actually cut his hand while trying to break off the dangly thing without telling me.  That plastic string is truly amazing stuff.  I rather smugly took my scissors to him.  

So in between the dangly things that are left and spraying canned snow on the green wiring that was so obvious in the white branches, the tree is up.  We even got the branches bent to cover the gaps.  Am I happy with it?  Nope.  Am I done with it?  Yep.  Know why?

Somewhere between the last of the dangly things and some sleep, I awoke this morning with a new attitude. Christmas isn’t about the perfect tree, perfect gift, or perfect decorations.  It isn’t about the perfect food, perfectly wrapped matching presents, throwing a perfect party or having perfect Christmas pictures.

Once we get that down, we’ll have a much better holiday season.  We’ll just let go all the stress and enjoy ourselves.  I am catering my food this year (except for the goose) so that I can spend time with family and not in the kitchen cooking, baking, dish washing, wiping countertops, cooking, baking, blah humbug.

So in the midst of wrestling lights, trees, and dangly things (ho ho ho), I am going to stop and simply ENJOY the season.  Stop and count my blessings.  Take stock and realize I have a lot to be grateful for.  

I know I do – I am sneaking in at night and cutting those dangly things off the tree, one at a time.

(Update Captain’s Log 2010. We are still finding and destroying the enemy dangly things. It has been a long battle and we’ve lost many men in this on-going fight in the galaxy of… oh.  Different story.  But yes, we ARE still battling blasted dangly things.  Here is this year’s version of the dangly thing tree.)

    

22 thoughts on “Christmas Tree Angst

  1. LOL that is pretty funny. This is why I refuse to give in to fake tree buying! My hubs and I got into a big argument about it several years ago (he wanted a fake one), and I basically argued him into submission. Its like a fish on a hook. You let them wriggle around uselessly until they get too tired to fight. Then you reel ’em in!! 🙂

  2. LOL that is pretty funny. This is why I refuse to give in to fake tree buying! My hubs and I got into a big argument about it several years ago (he wanted a fake one), and I basically argued him into submission. Its like a fish on a hook. You let them wriggle around uselessly until they get too tired to fight. Then you reel ’em in!! 🙂

  3. I have a hard time getting to your site. It doesn’t say on your profile the name of your blog so you can go right to it. But, I found it now and I’m so glad. Love your posts and pictures! The snowman one is my favorite so far. The little guys praising God and the one praying — priceless. Never thought I could like snowmen so much! Great collection, I think your hubby secretly loves them.

  4. I have a hard time getting to your site. It doesn’t say on your profile the name of your blog so you can go right to it. But, I found it now and I’m so glad. Love your posts and pictures! The snowman one is my favorite so far. The little guys praising God and the one praying ? priceless. Never thought I could like snowmen so much! Great collection, I think your hubby secretly loves them.

  5. The tree looks wonderful! I’m not much for flocking on trees but we did convert to a pre-lit tree last year. Hubby went and bought a pre-lit tree while I was in the hospital since he didn’t want to mess with stringing lights. LOL

    Visiting from SITS

  6. The tree looks wonderful! I’m not much for flocking on trees but we did convert to a pre-lit tree last year. Hubby went and bought a pre-lit tree while I was in the hospital since he didn’t want to mess with stringing lights. LOL

    Visiting from SITS

  7. I LOVE your tree. It’s so purrrrrty!

    With our new asshole dog, we couldn’t get a big tree this year and I’m devastated. Had to sacrifice some of my favorite ornaments.

  8. I LOVE your tree. It’s so purrrrrty!

    With our new asshole dog, we couldn’t get a big tree this year and I’m devastated. Had to sacrifice some of my favorite ornaments.

  9. Your tree is lovely! I would have been prepared to burn the tree down, too – and my wonderful guy would have saved the day! He did the lights this year – and then the boys and I decorate! A match made in heaven.

    Christmas Eve, subway is catering a platter – LOL, but the Christmas Feast – well, let’s just say, I’m the prima donna who won’t give up the cooking stage here! As Monica on Friends said, “I am always the host.” – Oysters, Roast Beef – the fixins’! I’m hungry right now!

    Hope those dangly things disappear!

  10. Your tree is lovely! I would have been prepared to burn the tree down, too – and my wonderful guy would have saved the day! He did the lights this year – and then the boys and I decorate! A match made in heaven.

    Christmas Eve, subway is catering a platter – LOL, but the Christmas Feast – well, let’s just say, I’m the prima donna who won’t give up the cooking stage here! As Monica on Friends said, “I am always the host.” – Oysters, Roast Beef – the fixins’! I’m hungry right now!

    Hope those dangly things disappear!

  11. This reminds me of the first year Ben and I got a tree. I got it from Wal-mart, woke up the next morning and saw it was COVERED from tip to bottom in spiderwebs. Ben freaked. Within five minutes, the tree had been thrown from the apartment through the patio door, ornaments and all, onto the lawn.

  12. This reminds me of the first year Ben and I got a tree. I got it from Wal-mart, woke up the next morning and saw it was COVERED from tip to bottom in spiderwebs. Ben freaked. Within five minutes, the tree had been thrown from the apartment through the patio door, ornaments and all, onto the lawn.

  13. It’s lovely!! I like it!

    Well, I can see your point to just let it go, but when you buy a tree like that and put a decent amount of sweat equity, pain, frustration and blood into it, you want it to look great! But you have to know when to raise the white flag, which you did. That’s when you decide then and there that there’s more to the holiday than little dangly things hanging from your Christmas tree making your crazy.

  14. It’s lovely!! I like it!

    Well, I can see your point to just let it go, but when you buy a tree like that and put a decent amount of sweat equity, pain, frustration and blood into it, you want it to look great! But you have to know when to raise the white flag, which you did. That’s when you decide then and there that there’s more to the holiday than little dangly things hanging from your Christmas tree making your crazy.

  15. I know how many dangly things are on the tree. I counted them! They better not disappear or the snowmen get it. There will be war with the snowmen and their losses will be significant!

  16. I know how many dangly things are on the tree. I counted them! They better not disappear or the snowmen get it. There will be war with the snowmen and their losses will be significant!

  17. I loved all your stories before the holidays, but I love the holiday ones even better. You always bring my spirits up, Nan, and I’m having a little trouble with the whole spirit thing this year. Thanks for sharing. I love the way you look at life!

    Terri

  18. I loved all your stories before the holidays, but I love the holiday ones even better. You always bring my spirits up, Nan, and I’m having a little trouble with the whole spirit thing this year. Thanks for sharing. I love the way you look at life!

    Terri

  19. This was one of your most adorable of a whole lot of very adorable posts. I loved it.

    Did I mention we have LIVE TREES AT OUR HOUSE?

    🙂

    And, what I should have said in my comment a few days ago was that I am the lazy person who would do the pre-lit flocked docked clocked and shocked tree like Leland, if Eric would let me. Ha! We’re with our perfect men. Because life would be no fun to be with the most wondrous men in the world without a little bit of drama.

    Merry Christmas, Nan.

    Pamela

  20. This was one of your most adorable of a whole lot of very adorable posts. I loved it.

    Did I mention we have LIVE TREES AT OUR HOUSE?

    🙂

    And, what I should have said in my comment a few days ago was that I am the lazy person who would do the pre-lit flocked docked clocked and shocked tree like Leland, if Eric would let me. Ha! We’re with our perfect men. Because life would be no fun to be with the most wondrous men in the world without a little bit of drama.

    Merry Christmas, Nan.

    Pamela

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