O Christmas Tree
One of the bad things about being on a hellacious deadline during the holidays is that you miss a bunch of fun stuff. Two of the moms I hang out with after school are both university students. One will soon be a nurse, the other a teacher. Today, being that their semester ended yesterday, they went out to lunch. They invited me and you have no idea how much I wanted to go. But I had to work.
Bah, humbug.
However, one other advantage of being on deadline at the holiday time (for those who are looking for silver linings) is that you can, on occasion, get out of chores you HATE.
For me, that would be decorating the tree.
Now, let me say that I spent many years and a lot of time and money designing my tree. It pretty much looks the same from year to year, but I love the way it looks when it is done. It’s a Victorian tree to go with the antique Victorian furniture that is in my formal livingroom, inherited from my husband’s grandfather as well as pieces from my aunt, who is still alive and very much a knowledgable antique collector. All of the ornaments are in pink, light green and pearl. The garlands are beads and ribbons. I even have pink Santas! I have birds–lots of birds–in either pink or white (the swans are my favorite) or minty green.
The collection is amazing. My favorite is this Victorian fairy that I won at one of TARA’s famous Christmas parties. Isn’t it gorgeous? It is sort of fun to go through my ornaments and remember which ones were bought when or who gave me this or that, but I relive those memories while I’m unpacking. Putting them on the tree is a different matter entirely.
Luckily, the daughter is at the age where she is finally old enough to handle all the glass and handblown ornaments and is still excited to do Christmas. So she did it this year and I’m so proud of her!
I suppose I could spend time regretting how we didn’t do this task together, thus enjoying a seasonal tradition of mother/daughter time. (My husband puts up the tree and helps with the lights and then he’s done. He does the entire outside by himself, so he gets a pass.) But I’m looking at it on the positive side so I can avoid the guilt that is so a part of my nature. I was just in the other room while she decorated. I popped in fairly regularly to give her both tips and praise. We put the star on as a family. It’s a good thing.
And it’s even better because I didn’t have to do it!
Here’s another favorite ornament…which I was surprised wasn’t buried at the bottom of the tree somewhere because while my daughter likes to take pictures, she isn’t crazy about looking at them afterward. I do not ordinarily post pictures of my daughter, but this one, I think, is safe because you can’t really see much…except her open mouth! She’s actually dressed as an angel. It was taken on the beach in Key West about four years ago (maybe three) and she was yelling about something. I mean…can this kid be more like me or what?
I’ve been praising and thanking her all night for taking on this task–one I’m very particular about (lights first, then garlands, then glass globes, then specialty ornaments, then birds, then flowers, then icicles) but that I do not enjoy doing. Christmas just got easier…even if just for one night, thanks to the Christmas enthusiasm of a child and the blessings of her teacher, who did not assign homework.
Which tasks at the holidays do you dislike…and how can you pawn them off on others?
Ahhhhh…’tis the season!
I don’t mind the stuff that needs to be done to get ready for the holidays - it’s the “after” part that I hate - taking it all down. I hate cleaning and taking down the tree and decorations is like cleaning to me. I’d pawn that off in a heartbeat.
Btw, love your ornaments. That Victorian fairy is gorgeous.
Comment by Stacy ~ — December 13, 2006 @ 7:26 am
I’m with Stacy, I don’t mind putting up the tree, and decorating. It is taking it all down that depresses me.
Someday when I am rich I want a Christmas room that I can go into and close the door when having a bad day and just sit there and make myself believe it is Christmas time. A girl can dream can’t she?
Comment by Kelly — December 13, 2006 @ 9:05 am
I love putting the tree up, but I also hate the taking down of everything. This year I am so lazy that I’m not even putting up a tree. My dad will have his tree up and I would be the only one to enjoy the one in my house, so I decided no tree this year. Love the ornaments.
Comment by Liza — December 13, 2006 @ 10:12 am
Julie….love your tree. Since my boys are old enough to put up some ornaments (the ones we put out because I still have a little one!), I let my husband do it with the two older ones. I supervise. One Christmas, I think it was when I was pregnant with my third (he’s a January baby), I took a nap and my husband and the older ones put up the Christmas tree, totally suprising me (it was so magical to wake up to a lit tree and not to have to have done the work). I keep telling him that’s what I want every year! I think I just got tired of decorating the tree when we were first married because my husband wasn’t into Christmas, then. I don’t mind taking down the tree (I think I am weird), probably because after a month of it, I get a little tired of it. Which is odd because I have a Christmas decoration I keep out year round (from pure laziness). My husband doesn’t like the shopping/baking/wrapping or anything like that, so I am happy to do that.
Comment by katie — December 13, 2006 @ 10:42 am
I get so little help around here, if I dont do it, it won’t get done. So I put it up, and get my revenge by taking my sweet a$$ time taking it down. There is now a family pool that runs every year where everyone takes a guess as to when i will finally take the tree down. It has been a Valentine’s tree, St Patty’s Day and even an Easter tree at one point!! They don’t tell me who has what choice, so I can’t pick a winner!! I have threatened to throw a sheet over it and leave it too.
I hate cleaning house. I truly, truly hate it. When we married, the deal was I would do all the outside work (and I do) and he and the kid had the inside. They went back on their promises. Big Surprise. So now, I get out the whip and chair and force them to help do stuff around here. I have been known to hide the remote and phone and pull computer wires until it is done. Yes, I am mean.
Comment by ev — December 13, 2006 @ 10:48 am
I am with Stacy and Kelly I love putting up the tree and decorations, but taking everythign down is depresssing because I LOVE CHRISTMAS.
Your fairy is pretty.
We have Hallmark ornaments on our tree and a few homemade ones that my son made aalong the years and a couple that were my grandmother’s.
Comment by Cherylann — December 13, 2006 @ 11:15 am
Julie,
You have a beautiful tree.
I don’t mind putting up all the stuff for Christmas. Usually the tree goes up on thanksgiving night or the day after. This year it was the day after because I was sick and I had my daughter helping. She is 15 and lots of help.
My tree is one of those Pre lit trees. No putting on lights they are perfectly put on. I got the tree 7 Christmas’s ago and I love it.:love2:
The tree is filled with Hallmark ornaments. I have been collecting since the late seventies. I have a least one for everyyear since 1978 I think. My girls each have yearly ornaments.
We like Snowflake ornaments they catch the light on the tree.
I love Christmas time. I usually wait until January 2, to take it down, bad luck I hear if you take it down before the 1st of the New Year.
I need all luck I can have.
ps I was wondering did you ever got your electrical problem fixed?:doggie:
Comment by Gigi — December 13, 2006 @ 11:47 am
I don’t mind putting up the stuff, except for the lights on the tree. Now, that I think about it, that is a horrible, nasty job and my spouse (hear the venom?) does not help wiht that part. I mean whoever came up with the lights was a pure torture genious and should have worked for some Horrible the????
When you try to wind them on, you get poked and prodded and they are never straight…..UGH!!!!
Anyways, the rest is all ok and the kids are just at the age to put the ornaments on and love placing them, so I can catch my breathe after wrangling the tree.
Have a super Wednesday!!!
Merry Christmas
Comment by Debbie — December 13, 2006 @ 11:49 am
I can’t believe that Christmas is only 14 days away, and I haven’t put my tree up yet! I promised my girls that we would do it this weekend, so I’m trying to get into the holiday spirit for the occasion! Honestly, if I didn’t have kids, I wouldn’t put up a tree! Talk about bah-humbug!
Julie — gorgeous tree! And I can see Alyssa decorating it — and having a ball doing so!
Comment by Janelle — December 13, 2006 @ 11:50 am
We’re celebrating Christmas at my sister’s house this year, but she graciously asked us to incorporate our special Christmas ornaments with hers so we truly have a “family” tree. I have a few that I dearly love, including some that belonged to my Mom, as well as some crystal ones I got during the first Christmas I was with my hubby. Each of my daughters has a few “first Christmas” ones or other special ones they’ve collected throughout the years.
I have to say, my hubby is wonderful with putting up the lights. My sister has put in a standing order for him to come over and do them every year, because he just will not simply wrap them on the exterior of the tree. He starts in at the trunk and goes top to bottom. Then comes out from there, working in layers, so the whole thing is just gorgeous.
But that’s the end of his job…lol…the rest is up to me and the girls.
I LOVE CHRISTMAS! And I feel liike I can finally start to prepare for it since the BOOK IS DONE AND IN!!!
Comment by Leslie — December 13, 2006 @ 11:58 am
Electricity is fixed! Only cost about 100 bucks, too. Now, it is a temporary fix…we still can’t run the fan in the bathroom at the same time as the Xmas lights, but everything is working again. We now have to decide what to do about rerouting the electricity so the fan and the lights aren’t on the same circuit!
Nothing goes down around here until Epiphany. Or after.
Comment by Julie Leto — December 13, 2006 @ 12:09 pm
I used to love to decorate for the holidays, the tree, lights around the windows, everything, but I hated to take it all down and put it all away. I would recruit anyone that was around to help me. Now that I am by myself I find that I don’t decorate that much anymore.
I loved your ornaments, they are just gorgerous. Your tree looks beautiful………..
Comment by Cryna — December 13, 2006 @ 12:40 pm
Well my family lives in Georgia and I’m currently living in Mississippi with my fiance (we’re moving back next year though) and for the past two years we go up for 2 weeks. Before we leave I have kind of a “spring cleaning” (or would that be Christmas cleaning?) and scrub the whole house down. I really wish I could pawn this off on someone else! I also know that it won’t be done correctly if I do though so I’ve got to grin and bear it. Especially since I’m leaving Saturday!
Comment by Jen — December 13, 2006 @ 12:43 pm
ev, I think we are soul sisters…I think we married the same guy. LOL! I am sending ev my housecleaner for Christmas (she’s awesome!)….
Comment by katie — December 13, 2006 @ 1:35 pm
Julie, your tree is very pretty. Beautiful ornaments! I sent one of the ornaments I won from you to my daughter for the tree & she loved it!
on getting the book done & in, we can look forward to a new book from you. 
Leslie, congratulations
Since I have been single quite some time & my children are grown with their own families I don’t go all out like I use to! My place is not very large & some years I have not put up a tree but this year I felt the need to have one (real, as I don’t care for the artificial ones!) but it is just a small table top size tree with some lights & decorations. Getting down the Christmas decorations & seeing everything again always brings back memories so I love doing it. Not fun taking it down but by then I’m ready! I usually get everything down the day after Christmas as my oldest daughter has a birthday December 28 & I wanted Christmas over before her birthday. My 2 favorite decorations were made by my ex-husband who was a photographer. He took pictures of the girls, made angels from cardboard & put their pictures on the angels head. They are so cute & I love those 2 angels they are showing their age but I could not bear to part with them, for me they are priceless. :love2:
Comment by Donna M — December 13, 2006 @ 1:39 pm
Your tree looks very pretty! I’m just getting ready to decorate my tree. I’ve been sitting around thinking someone else in my family would do it but it’s not happening!! Once I get started I will get everyone else involved.
Comment by Tina — December 13, 2006 @ 2:50 pm
go eve
Comment by Cherylann — December 13, 2006 @ 2:57 pm
I really don’t like to shop. It stresses me out. Especially since the people I need to buy for NEVER tell me what they want.
Comment by Heather Harper — December 13, 2006 @ 3:54 pm
katie- that would be the best present anyone could give me. Thanks!!!
On the other hand, I am done shopping!!! WOO-HOO!!! Now all I have to do it wrap it all. That is a job I really hate!!:thumbsdown:
Comment by ev — December 13, 2006 @ 4:56 pm
Wow the tree is special.
and I entertain children with stories a couple of hours a day. Pass out balloons and wrapped candy canes too. Some parents let me hold their little ones and take pictures with their camera phones. It feels so good after all these years to be holding so many precious little ones. It also gives me a little break from my long daily grind. I am having a wonderful day! 
And your daughter did it herself. That is so special. Tell her great job!
Oh how I love the holidays! I am 60+++ and for those out there that don’t have any little ones you’ll understand why I am having a wonderful day.
I decorated our store over the past 4 weeks and it looks super (at home with the kids gone only a table top tree). But I have so much fun here.
I got a Mrs Santa costume
Happy Everything!
Comment by jeannie — December 13, 2006 @ 7:27 pm
no problem, ev….my house cleaner is awesome!
I am done (FINALLY) with the shopping (even shopping for me!). I have to do some final wrapping over the course of the next few nights and life will be good for me. Then, I tackle baking during the day with the boys.
Comment by katie — December 13, 2006 @ 8:06 pm
Comment by Gram — December 13, 2006 @ 9:31 pm
Nice tree! We broke down and bought another artificial tree this year, this time with built-in lights. Love it! I’ve always been torn between real and artificial. I hate the idea of killing a tree just for a few weeks of Christmas (not to mention the needles, etc.) but they do smell nice and if it comes from a local tree farm, then I’d be supporting someone’s hard work/business. On the other hand, I can put the artificial tree up as soon as I like and take my time taking it down. And…I am less worried when the two cats decide to chase each other up the trunk. I usually get about 10 years out of a tree and then I “freecycle” it (post-it on a website for free to see if anyone wants it instead of tossing it in the trash. As for the holidays, my husband and I have a tradition when it comes to shopping. We both take a day off of work in mid November and after dropping our son off at school, we go out for breakfast and then hit the stores. Usually we’ve been browsing flyers and have general ideas of what to buy for people. This has worked well for us over the past few years. We usually have the bulk of our shopping done in 2-5 hours (with just enough time to hide the gifts before our son gets home. Love the hype before Christmas but I hate Christmas day. MY MIL drives me crazy, basically tells us to host and then sets the schedule for the day to suit HER needs. And she doesn’t help with anything. Last year she managed to dump a whole cup of coffee on my new rug (we’d moved in a couple weeks before) broke at least 3 different dishes and blamed my cat for her dog’s eye infection. Not looking forward to a repeat of that, but I guess it’s what you do to keep the peace.
Comment by Dayle — December 13, 2006 @ 10:32 pm
Dayle- HIDE the poor cat!! Set her up in her own room with water, food and a box and a new toy. She will probably be happier too!!
And use paper plates!!
katie- I finally got all the shopping done, I have 2 more things to arrive by UPS. At least hubby just lets me do it without saying I am spending too much. Of course, I also add things in for myself. he only has to shop for ME!! I asked him what he was getting me and he told me I hadn’t told him yet. I love a well trained man.
So far I have the dining room and kitchen clean. Living room and the guest room next. If the kid doesn’t get moving on the hall, bathroom and her room. she will start losing presents she doesn’t even know she is getting- like i will keep them. I will also take all her garbage and throw it out. Yup I have done it before. you would think she would learn after 21 years.
Comment by ev — December 13, 2006 @ 11:36 pm
ev, LOL! My middle guy (he’s 4) told me he wanted a ‘baby toy’ that would be more suited for my 2 year old. Little does he know what he is getting…..he would be disappointed if he knew he would miss out on a COOL toy (he also said he wanted a 3rd viewmaster INSTEAD of anything else….okay, I drew the line and told him that he was crazy in 4 year old language, of course).
My hubby actually said to me last night, “You ARE done buying presents, right???” I had to email a new list of toys to Santa and have him return some other things they did not want…and it is not even Christmas.
Comment by katie — December 14, 2006 @ 12:38 am
Your tree is beautiful Julie - Your daughter did an amazing job! Even better that you were able to enjoy the tree without the work.
My unfavorite thing is wrapping gifts. I really really really can’t stand that part. I cheat and do the gift bag thing a lot - and we have a gift wrapping day here at the office, and I can pay someone else to do it! Which is perfect for me. lol. :thumbsup2:
Comment by Suezette — December 14, 2006 @ 5:29 pm
Suezette, my husband’s company just started that this year! I’m loading them all into his car next Wednesday. I, too, hate giftwrapping. Only because the standing hurts my back. I don’t mind it otherwise. I don’t mind repetitive tasks so long as that’s all it is–you don’t have to be creative. Tree decorating requires creativity and all that is being used up by this book!
Comment by Julie Leto — December 14, 2006 @ 5:31 pm