the 24th hour and barely alive.jpg

On the road!

Fallen Christmas Tree

Okay, so it isn't the most creative title, but it is expletive of what happened to our artificial Christmas tree last night as we were opening presents. I am sorry, but fully blame Todd for this one! For some reason Todd does not have the same appreciation that I do for the "romance" involved in going to the Christmas tree farm, picking out "the perfect tree", sawing it down, hauling it back to the car, and driving it home for a good shaking in the driveway. Because of this, I wasn't in to mood to argue when he seemed less than excited at the gentle suggestion of the "tree excursion"... hence the 2008 artificial tree. Mind you, we have been together nearly 12 years, and there have been other years when I have not thought the fight worth it. Those years saw $20, 6' Korean-made trees from "Dolphin Store" on Saipan. One tree lasted several years.. okay, it was considerably rusty at the joints in year three.. but none the less... the thing stood straight and tall without fail. So I ask you, why it is that here in good ole' USA, with a brand new, 7' Target-bought $49 tree... that the damn thing had to collapse after only four weeks of showtime in the living room? Yes, collapse. I can't decide if I am more stunned that the tree literally bent all the way over and broke in half as we looked on ... or at the disinterest, nay, non-challant attitude that the kids had about it. They literally looked at the tree, looked at us, and kept opening presents. Humm.. the damn tree isn't about a symbol of Christmas, traditions being kept alive, etc... It appears to be about me. The exact opposite thing that Christmas is suppose to be about. What the hell happened to the lessons we have been trying to teach, the Catholic school educations we are trying to provide? Only two hours earlier Fr. Joe had just lectured the children about the "true meaning of Christmas." I guess to me it was the tree.. and to the kids it was about the gifts. I wonder if we will ever change? Well, now that the tree is in the trash, it looks like my chances for a real tree are incrementally higher for 2009... even if I have to spend the kid's gift money to get it...it might be worth it right?!

Presents!

Cowboy AJ