O' Christmas Tree

One of my favorite parts of Christmas is our Christmas tree. I guess in the hustle and bustle of the season it gives me a place to get away from the hurry. I enjoy sitting in front of it with a cup of coffee just relaxing, reflecting and taking in the lights. I enjoy almost everything about the Christmas Season and the tree is right up there at the top.

I remember as a kid that we would go out in the pasture and cut a cedar tree. Usually Dad had scouted several and would take us on a tour to pick out just the right one. It must have been fairly crowded in the pickup cab, there were four of us, but I don’t remember being cramped. Usually we would have to cut down two or three before we found just the right one, I am pretty sure it was one way to get rid of a few more cedar trees.

I remember the smell of the tree and to this day the smell of cedar brings back good memories of Christmas past. A time when I lived for the anticipation of what might show up under the tree while we were away at Christmas Eve Services (if you grow up the son of dairy farmers you do things differently).  Later, after my sister and I left home, Mom started a new tradition and used a fern as a Christmas Tree. I love my Mother dearly but that was one thing that was not an improvement.

When Jennifer and I started our life together we started new traditions and one of those was our Christmas tree. We tried cedar trees for a couple of years and I must say that my eye for size and space is not very good. The tree often required multiple trimmings. Then as the kids got older and busier and we started doing a better job of cedar tree control, we moved on to an artificial tree. I miss the cedar tree smell but not the mess, I think they make candles that can take the place.

Our tree reflects our lives, it is a Hodge podge of our interests and the places we have been. I guess the predominant theme would be western, but we have ornaments of varying origins and themes. Most of them come with a story and a good memory. Decorating the tree has always been a family activity, or it was until this year and the empty nest. Although it wasn’t the same without the kids around, it did take on a new twist.

Without the kids around to voice their opinions about where ornaments should go and what was the most important, Mom and Dad got to exert their opinions. Yes, the homemade ornaments from church and school found a new place in the front of the tree and were not relegated to the back and out of sight anymore. Right there front and center are the notes written in grade school penmanship and best of all are the school pictures with toothless grins and the pony tails glued onto the ornaments. That will teach them for not showing up.

Our tree skirt is one Jennifer made from denim and it has our brand front and center. While I really like our tree skirt it is not my favorite part of the tree. Instead of garland our tree has something more suited to our lifestyle and certainly more available. Our tree is circled by several rounds of rusty, or should I say vintage, barbwire. It might not have been the most kid friendly, although I can’t ever remember a problem and you probably ought to have your tetanus shot updated before you decorate the tree. Jennifer also made a cross for the top of our tree out of the same vintage barbwire. I think it looks kind of cool and it works good for hanging those heavy ornaments. I say if it is good enough for our pasture fences, it is good enough for our tree.

It is not secret that I am a pretty sentimental guy and Christmas has a way of really bringing it out in me. Nearly everything on our tree has a memory and that is a good thing. Christmas is about the birth of our Savior, but it is also about family, memories and good trips down memory lane. It’s those times in front of the tree when I think of Christmas past and the good memories of being a kid, of my mother and times at Grandma and Grandpa’s house. I also think of the great Christmas memories when our kids were young and excited about the season. We all need a dose of little kid Christmas excitement.

I bet I am not alone in my memories and love for our Christmas Tree. I hope you will take some quiet time this Christmas Season to reflect and enjoy the memories hanging from the branches. Christmas is about family, memories and joy. At least in my world that is pretty much all summed up in lights and barbwire in my living room.