Got Our Tree

When I was a kid, getting the family Christmas tree was a really big deal.

It was an event in itself.  Everyone went.  I remember going to White Rose and browsing rows and rows of trees.  Everyone had a say.  After we moved to the country, we went to a tree farm every year to chop down a tree.  Bundled up, braving the elements, all on the quest to find the perfect tree.

Mom would put the lights on the tree, and we waited, anxiously, to put the ornaments up. Mostly things us kids (there were four of us) had made in school.  I used to draw my Christmas trees upside down. I was reminded of that every year when those old hand crafted ornaments went up.  Sometimes there was a string of popcorn.  There were bubble lights.

And always lots of tinsel, I remember so slowly and carefully adding to the tree at the very end.  Strand by strand.

Such great memories of our family tree and I love doing that now with my own family.

We’ve gone to the tree farms, and more recently, it’s a merry walk through a store parking lot.  (smile).    Not quite the same as the tree farm, but it’s still quality family time.

This year, my husband got stuck working, and I was determined to get the tree.  You know the expression, “where there’s a will, there’s a way”?  That was my daughters and myself this weekend.

I was not confident I could strap a tree to the roof of my car, so instead, we picked a smaller tree, and fought to get it IN the car.  Through the back window, across the seats.  No shortage of laughter, that’s for sure.

The car STILL smells like pine, and it will probably be spring before I get all the needles out, but that just adds to the memories and the fun.

So yesterday, with the everyone at home, we set up the tree and “trimmed the tree”.    I am the one to add the lights – switched it up this year and changed to all white lights.  Not without problems.  We needed to replace some and add some.  A few trips to the store and finally, we were able to light the tree.

The ornaments have been the same over the years, and I have something from each of my three kids scattered through the tree.  Something they have made at different ages.  Those are the best.

Christmas wish lists, snowmen, Santas, hand prints on ornaments.  A reminder of the years gone by. A reminder of how much they have grown and changed.

And this year I added a bit of tinsel – my youngest would roll her eyes and say “mom, that’s a LOT of tinsel” – a nod to childhood and memories of when I was just little.

Every Christmas our tree is a little bit different and I love it.  I love the time together decorating.  We’ve gone from letting the kids do it. Rearranging it (smile).  Letting them do it all.  To them being too grown up, and watching more than participating.  Life changes.

What do you do for Christmas?  What are your traditions?   What reminds you of childhood?

Categorised in: Afternoons

This post was written by Carrie Buchanan