Oh, Christmas Tree

Dear Liza,

Yesterday was predicted to be the only dry day for the next week, so we went out and got our Christmas Tree. We stopped by the Eagles Lodge, where we went for Halloween Karaoke, and they had good trees, good prices, and a nice fella to help.

We found one just the right size and named him Herby.

Once we got Herby home, we did the usual hauling up the stairs, getting him settled in his stand and vacuuming up the needles…and then we all went to do other projects for a while. Decorating the tree feels more like an evening thing.

First, Grandpa Nelson put on the lights. This involves long strings of glowing bits, which Mousekin thinks are just for her. It’s always a challenge to get them safely on the tree, and we say a small prayer for the survival of the tree.

We put on Vince Guaraldi’s light piano jazz (he does the Charlie Brown Christmas music) and started dressing the tree. It is smaller than usual so we were more choosy this year, only putting on our favorites.

Usually, an ornament is loved not for what it looks like, but where it came from. Ornaments that have survived from our childhoods, that belonged to your Great grandma Billie, or from our friends or travels are especially sweet.

This year we even have a new one! Grandpa Nelson bought one of Kat Mistry’s crocheted doughnuts at SideStreet Arts so our tree is delicious, as well as beautiful.