Every year I have fought against the current of the culture and waited. Waited to put the tree up until December 1st or after. This was the rule. My rule.
This year we joined my parents on their tree hunting mission Thanksgiving weekend. Everyone was home and we made it a family outing. See how we descended upon the quaint little tree farm like an army? We were an army with a miniature dachshund for a mascot.
There are more of us behind the trees.
While we traipsed up and down the rows, Nate and I looked at each other and said, "While we are here, maybe we should just get our tree too. No point in coming back later."
And so we did.
I knew there was a reason I liked to wait until the first or second weekend in December.
It was so that we would have a tree left on Christmas Day and not just a pile of needles.
The needles are falling off of the tree like you would not believe. Every day I sweep and vacuum, vacuum and sweep. I could make little pine scented crafts from the pile of needles I get. Combine it with the red fuzz from my rug and who knows what kind of a thing I could create?!
The new rules this year?
- No playing with the tree.
- No touching the tree.
- No accidentally bumping the tree.
- No sneezing or coughing or laughing near the tree.
- Don't even look at the tree.
15 comments:
This is a great post!
I am loving my artificial tree a little more today!!
Ditto what Beth said. :)
LOL! I have the same problem with keeping my tree alive until Christmas...one year it even turned completely crispy and BROWN.
I got a replacement, pronto. But we love the real trees around here and had a fake one for ONE Christmas, one and only. It was just too...fake.
So anyway. I have no useful tips for you with regards to keeping the needles on, but lots of sympathy.
I am feeling so guilty. Our tree is fine. Cut the same day at the same place. Could it be the different kind of tree??? But if you had our tree, then you wouldn't have such a funny post, causing so many people to have a good laugh today. Your tree is a source of joy! At least you didn't get a tree with deer pee this year. Ha, ha, explain that to everyone!
PS. Just go get a new one.....
We have a stand with almost a gallon reserve for water. We keep ours well-watered, and usually though we still have a lot of needles on the floor, it's also still green and not too crispy. Although this year my honey decreed we should have the lights on 24/7. I'm sure that's great for the crispiness of the tree.
Get a fake one, Heth! Then get a Evergreen candle and...Viola!!!
I just don't have a lot of sympathy, I'm sorry. I am missing having a real, fresh-cut tree. We never got ours early either, so I have no idea how to keep it from dropping needles. I'll bet it smells delicious at your house. Sniff.
What is it with peer, err...parent pressure? And did your mom really say, just go get a new one? Is your tree not decorated? She is one funny lady.
Wellllll........hand me a fork and spoon. I think maybe I need to eat some words. Or maybe a posted comment and that's not Post as in cereal. Upon sweeping under the tree and shaking out the skirt and bumping into the tree, I have found that I am in denial. It's...losing....needles. blush.
But it's not dry, so viva la live tree! It's a small price to pay for the photos and videos of the family tree outing, right?
Oh I miss having a real tree sometimes. Mostly the smell, but not the dry needles.
My sweet husband talked me into a fake one the year I was with child and due the first week of December. He had been working on me for years.
You know, I used to roll my eyes at friends who put their trees IN the play pen to protect it from their young children. Emily can't keep her hands off it. I'm thinking about dragging out the old play pen now.
But they smell so good! Easy for me to say, I have one kid left at home and a fake tree. I wouldn't let my kids even look at the fake tree because I was nuts.
Seriously, I want to go with them next year! Wouldn't we make quite a team?
Thanks for the laugh!
Some of my kids have allergies, so our "real" tree days are over.
One year, though, we ended up having to get a new tree two days before Christmas because the first one was SO brown and crispy. They gave us a good deal, though!
Have fun!
Very funny!!! Love the rules. I'm sure they are obeyed every minute of the day! :) The water does work. You can also put dirt or sand in a 5 gallon bucket and water it regularly. Keeps it from getting brown and crispy (Though that might depend on how MANY lights are being left on 24/7) BUt the bucket of sand will keep it green and lessen the reign of needles on the rug.
Alas! We always use a fake -- we're both paranoid about real trees and fire -- a long story for another day!!
Alright...you are really funny. I just found you through "Rocks" and I love the "No accidentally bumping the tree" part. I've tried to instill a fear into my 3 and 1.5 yr old that if they touch our 14 footer...IT WILL PIN THEM TO THE GROUND.
Post a Comment