Angels On High
20/12/18 10:01
We finally got our Christmas tree for the 2018 holiday. The Rotary Club was closing up shop when we drove by and there wasn't a tree left on the lot. Certainly, we'd rather make a donation to the Club for all the good they do for the community but if they have no trees then I guess we'll have to mail them a check (or not.) Or, maybe we'll just plan to go a bit earlier next year so they have lots of trees to choose from. We found a lot in North Hampton that had plenty of trees available but not before several anxious moments behind the wheel while driving there where the absence of trees on car tops was noticeable and notable.
"What if we can't find a tree", lamented my poor darling wife. The strain in her voice was palpable and disconcerting to say the least. Before I had a chance to take my share of the blame for the foot dragging that goes on endlessly this time of the year and every year since we've gone looking for Christmas trees we saw a roadside stand in the distance with plenty of trees still available for sale.
There were no prices posted but each of the 50 or so trees remaining on the lot had multi-colored ribbons which more than likely denoted a particular price tag. At a minimum we expected to see a price chart for the various colored ribbons but we found none and didn't press the attendant other than to ultimately ask him about the price of the specific tree we were interested in buying.
It was a reasonably pleasant day for mid December with plenty of sunshine, temperatures in the upper thirties, and not much of a breeze so we had the luxury of perusing the many trees at our leisure. If you owned a pair of gloves maybe you had them on and maybe you didn't. There were only a few parties milling about doing the same thing as us so we weren't feeling pressure one way or another to make a hasty decision.
We've never been in a bidding war when buy a Christmas tree but we were prepared to go the distance were it to come to that. Thankfully, the fellow assisting us was kind enough and patient enough such that we were pretty much sold on the first or second tree that caught our attention but not before going up and down the line just to be sure. Some were too short, some were too tall, some were scrubby and squat, and some were destined never to be sold.
I can be a sucker for the runt of the litter but not when it comes to taking home a Christmas tree. It reminds me of the year where we looked around in vain just a day or two before the holiday only to find the last tree in stock at Walmart and paying $5 before loading it into the car. She turned out to be a real beauty and maybe one of the better trees we've had. It was for sure the best $5 we've spent although it was a long time ago and memories can be tricky about such things.
Evan was on and off the fence about joining us to go get the tree. He wasn't interested in going with us when we talked about going to the Rotary Club in Portsmouth but was more than willing to go along were we to take a ride to North Hampton. He's funny that way these days. I think he wanted to help if he thought we might need help putting the tree on top of the car or otherwise securing it but getting involved in the actual selection of the tree was not in his wheelhouse on that particular day.
Ultimately, I think his preference was not to join us at all and it came as no surprise when he decided not to come along. If there is one thing we know for sure about that boy, it is that he can be a persnickety fellow when he wants to be. And then there are other times when what you see is what you get. You just never know. I don't think he laid eyes on the tree once before it was put up and decorated so that was that.
Nancy whimpered here and there while hanging ornaments that brought back memories of better times. We talked past each other when discussing the possible purchase of new ornaments, the origin and remembrances of existing ornaments, and just how delighted we were with the tree we ended up with in 2018.
We regretted not buying a larger mat to go beneath the tree to protect our new wood floors but thus far that seems not to be an issue. Shedding of the needles is minimal and the tree is just too tall by the right amount such that it holds the tree in place against the ceiling without the need for any additional bracing one way or another.
If that means the Baby Jesus or one of his angels doesn't have a place to sit at the top of our tree this Christmas then so be it. It's not detracting in the least so far but the holiday is yet to arrive so we may yet regret not finding a place for him. Whether we can in good conscience enjoy everything there is to enjoy during the Christmas season without that being the case, including the music of Christmas which endlessly sings his praises and rightly so, only time will tell. If we thought for one moment that it would make a difference when and where divine intervention is concerned you can bet your bottom dollar we'd be there with bells on. I'm just not so sure anymore.
"What if we can't find a tree", lamented my poor darling wife. The strain in her voice was palpable and disconcerting to say the least. Before I had a chance to take my share of the blame for the foot dragging that goes on endlessly this time of the year and every year since we've gone looking for Christmas trees we saw a roadside stand in the distance with plenty of trees still available for sale.
There were no prices posted but each of the 50 or so trees remaining on the lot had multi-colored ribbons which more than likely denoted a particular price tag. At a minimum we expected to see a price chart for the various colored ribbons but we found none and didn't press the attendant other than to ultimately ask him about the price of the specific tree we were interested in buying.
It was a reasonably pleasant day for mid December with plenty of sunshine, temperatures in the upper thirties, and not much of a breeze so we had the luxury of perusing the many trees at our leisure. If you owned a pair of gloves maybe you had them on and maybe you didn't. There were only a few parties milling about doing the same thing as us so we weren't feeling pressure one way or another to make a hasty decision.
We've never been in a bidding war when buy a Christmas tree but we were prepared to go the distance were it to come to that. Thankfully, the fellow assisting us was kind enough and patient enough such that we were pretty much sold on the first or second tree that caught our attention but not before going up and down the line just to be sure. Some were too short, some were too tall, some were scrubby and squat, and some were destined never to be sold.
I can be a sucker for the runt of the litter but not when it comes to taking home a Christmas tree. It reminds me of the year where we looked around in vain just a day or two before the holiday only to find the last tree in stock at Walmart and paying $5 before loading it into the car. She turned out to be a real beauty and maybe one of the better trees we've had. It was for sure the best $5 we've spent although it was a long time ago and memories can be tricky about such things.
Evan was on and off the fence about joining us to go get the tree. He wasn't interested in going with us when we talked about going to the Rotary Club in Portsmouth but was more than willing to go along were we to take a ride to North Hampton. He's funny that way these days. I think he wanted to help if he thought we might need help putting the tree on top of the car or otherwise securing it but getting involved in the actual selection of the tree was not in his wheelhouse on that particular day.
Ultimately, I think his preference was not to join us at all and it came as no surprise when he decided not to come along. If there is one thing we know for sure about that boy, it is that he can be a persnickety fellow when he wants to be. And then there are other times when what you see is what you get. You just never know. I don't think he laid eyes on the tree once before it was put up and decorated so that was that.
Nancy whimpered here and there while hanging ornaments that brought back memories of better times. We talked past each other when discussing the possible purchase of new ornaments, the origin and remembrances of existing ornaments, and just how delighted we were with the tree we ended up with in 2018.
We regretted not buying a larger mat to go beneath the tree to protect our new wood floors but thus far that seems not to be an issue. Shedding of the needles is minimal and the tree is just too tall by the right amount such that it holds the tree in place against the ceiling without the need for any additional bracing one way or another.
If that means the Baby Jesus or one of his angels doesn't have a place to sit at the top of our tree this Christmas then so be it. It's not detracting in the least so far but the holiday is yet to arrive so we may yet regret not finding a place for him. Whether we can in good conscience enjoy everything there is to enjoy during the Christmas season without that being the case, including the music of Christmas which endlessly sings his praises and rightly so, only time will tell. If we thought for one moment that it would make a difference when and where divine intervention is concerned you can bet your bottom dollar we'd be there with bells on. I'm just not so sure anymore.