Most days, I plug away in my new life with few bumps. I've come to terms with, and have realized joy in, being where I am. Some days, however, days when I'm helping the kids with the tree, I remember where we were and mourn where I thought we'd be.
I don't have a lot of long standing Christmas conditions which means I tend to absorb from others and put a great deal of importance in the ones I've created. Decorating the Christmas tree is rife with self-made traditions.
From the music - Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin singing about white Christmases and Rudolph, to the food - donuts, champagne, hot apple cider, decorating the Christmas tree was filled with tradition. I placed the ornaments on the tree in the same order every year. First the "special" ornament, the first ornament Chad and I bought together. Then, the silver and white plain balls. Then the snowflakes and mirrors. Then the special ornaments collected over the years until the tree was perfectly decorated.
This year, however, I opened the box and couldn't contain the whirling dervishes masquerading as my children. Crystals and mirrors were hung with abandon on one lone branch. Special ornaments were hung with delight without thought to coordination or placement. Ribbons usually used to tie old Christmas cards together were draped on low hanging branches. And, when it was all said and done, the kids stepped back to see their tree.
Their lopsided, bottom heavy, utterly beautiful tree.
I lay on the couch with a smile and thought to myself, maybe I'll move a few of the ornaments around to keep it from falling over.
I fell asleep.
At some point, the kids covered me with a cozy blanket.
When I woke, it was dusk. The only light in the room was from the tree. In front of it, the kids sat on pillows with blankets wrapped around them and pointed at the ornaments.
The ornaments on their perfectly bottom heavy, lopsided tree.
I tightened the screws holding the tree upright and crossed my fingers that they would hold because I'm loathe to change a single thing about it.
No matter how lopsided and bottom heavy it is.
4 comments:
oh... tell the kids it looks gorgeous!
hope you're feeling better... something makes me think you don't have an artificial tree?? sniffing, sneezing, wheezing & coughing or do you have a cold?
give the kids hugs. we still need to have a visit sometime.
Gorgeous writing. I don't let myself move the ornaments around after the kids have decorated--as much as I'm tempted. They have so much fun doing it, I hate to mess with their "art" :-)
Ah, this brings back memories of the way our tree looked last year! Enjoy.
This year our tree has what I refer to as the toddler cluster. There is also the Star Wars section thanks to the preschooler.
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