Monday, December 21, 2009

The Last Big Christmas Tree, maybe

Today was tree decorating day. It said so on Joy’s advent calendar. (I am currently running about 6-16 days behind on everything. I am not sure why…maybe because there is too much on my plate and I have control issues.) Since it said so on the calendar, we did it.

Anyway, the tree is decorated. There are still storage boxes decorating the corners of my living room. I keep crossing my arms and blinking my eyes, but they will not go away. And I keep twitching my lips and snapping my fingers, but the rest of the Christmas decorations will not place themselves. And truth be told, it’s not my favorite thing to do.

I like the décor when it’s up and running—within a certain time frame. However, actually putting it up is clouded by the knowledge that it has to come down and get put away in a few short weeks. Everyone is all enthusiastic about making cookies and cocoa and putting things up, but no one likes to help with the putting away stuff. OK, actually, Joy likes to help, but this is her version of helping:
Grab hold of an ornament and pull until it comes off of the tree or the hanger comes off of the ornament. As you are trotting to the table to put your one ornament in the box, look out for the other 16 on the branch that you just took the one off of because the rebound effect has just sent them flying into the wall across from you and you will soon be showered with pretty shards of Christmas shrapnel. Go get the broom and dust pan. Knock 7 more ornaments off of the tree with the handle of the broom (it’s a good thing you have the broom to clean them up!), sweep up the mess and deposit them in the trash. Go back to the tree and grab hold of an ornament and pull, etc. etc. (I guess this is part of the natural selection of ornaments. Those tough enough to survive get packed away for next year. The rest get a one way ticket to the dump.)

My goal for next year is to get the girls their own mini trees and let them decorate them themselves. Then I am going to get invited (or invite myself) to a Christmas party every weekend day of December. That way I won’t miss the tree. (I will also frame a pic of this year’s tree to gaze at if, and only if, I start to miss having one.)

My goal for this year is to minimize and simplify. I have plenty of friends that I can visit to oooh and aaah over their decorating genius. My other goal is to have the stuff down and put away at 12:01 am on 12-26-09.

O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree, how lovely are thy branches…especially when they are safely packed away in their box and all snug in their bed… on the garage shelf.
I am not a Grinch, I just have a thing about cleaning to decorate for a few weeks to have to un-decorate and clean again. It kind of detracts from the reason for the season for me.


And while we are on the subject, I do not eat red meat, popcorn, or French fries. My husband calls me un-American. My friends call me crazy. You can call me anything you want—just don’t call me to tell me you are coming over…I still have decorating to do, and it has to get done by Christmas or it won’t get done at all!

Posted by The Editor for Busy Body, who used to eat red meat a long time ago, ate popcorn every visit to Grandma's at 9:00pm for a bedtime snack, sitting on the couch with a stainless steel bowl but, really, was never very fond of French fries.

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