decorations | Hiddinsight

Maybe it’s just me. But I just didn’t understand WHY everyone else was taking pictures of their Christmas trees and posting them on Facebook. Really?… Really?

But now I understand WHY I felt that way: I hated my o friggin’ Christmas tree.

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Out with the Old?

Not when I first got it, of course. It was beautiful then, and ~~I loved it~~ the kids loved it. It was a unique-looking 6′ tall skinny little Charlie Brown sort with more bark than bite. I decorated it with ~~hand-painted ornaments and gingerbread men~~ kids stuff. It was cute.

Well, the “cute” lasted about 15 years (please hold your applause). The last few years, Charlie has been making my nose w-r-i-n-k-l-e. (And not like Saint Nick’s…Cuz his nose is already wrinkly. Mine is WAY too young to be behaving like this.)

So, a few weeks ago I just gave it away to a friend.

Done with it. DONE. Dust hands, done. I thought I (might?) be jealous that my friend had it (a classic case of If-I-can’t-enjoy-it-no-one-can syndrome), but when I walked into her house, it didn’t look anything like my tree. It looked good. Like it belonged there. Sort of like when you give your dog away and she is happier with her new owner. Like that. Win-win. Except for one problem. Now we had no Christmas tree.

Sorry kids. Mommy’s having a bad day. Maybe you can have a Christmas tree next year.”

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In with the NEW?

I wasn’t planning to buy a new tree. Are you kidding me?!?! $500?!! Whatever. So I told the kids we’re not going to have one this year. Lucky me…they didn’t seem to care. Good. We won’t be home for Christmas anyway.

BUT THEN (little-drummer-boy roll please)…Yesterday happened. (Exhibit A: SHRIEK of LARGE BOWLS FULL OF JELLY!!!)

I was having coffee (Exhibit B: Hot & Delicious) (mom’s you need to try this) with a friend in a local Nursery. After a few hours of this glorious, uninterrupted conversation, I asked her if she wanted to see if they had any NINE FOOTERS.

Then we saw it. There was ONE. But THAT ONE was the before-mentioned retarded price. So we walked around some more. All the artificial trees in the back were 60% off. (I know what you’re thinking: Didn’t you say you were in a Nursery? I didn’t know nurseries served coffee. That was weird. But…don’t nurseries have LIVE trees and stuff that is *like* ALIVE? Isn’t this like having artificial babies in a Nursery? Lame.) But wait. None of this really matters because I pulled an amazing move: I talked to somebody about it (a skill I have developed for emergency situations and moments like these).

“A-hem. Could you tell me if this tree is part of your sale?” I ask. Or was it my friend? I can’t be sure. It’s a blur.

Long story short (Exhibit C). Cuz I think you already guess what the answer was. 60 FLIPPING PERCENT OFF!!! I screamed “SOLD!” but it was okay because we weren’t in a library.

So I spent the ENTIRE DAY yesterday finding ornaments that were also 50% off (not every store has started the “SALE” phase yet). Then hauling it home, setting it up, breathing when the lights were challenging my Christmas spirit, and the hours felt like mere seconds. I was late.

So…I finally went to pick my kids up after school. Did I mention, LATE? I offered an excuse (and candy): “Sorry I’m a bit late today, I was working on a Magical Christmas Surprise…”

My daughter screams (yep, she’s MINE) (we weren’t in the library then either so it was okay), “WE GOT A CHRISTMAS TREE!!!!!!!!!”

SO yeah.

Now I like totally have my Christmas tree up on Facebook. Cuz I get it now.