Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree...

Decorating the Christmas tree has always been a highlight for me. When I was a little girl I just loved decorating our family's tree! My favorite decoration was the Bubble Lights - they are so cool!

When I had my very first apartment - money was tight (nothing has really changed since then!), and I wasn't going to put up a tree. But, I had a friend give me an artificial tree that I used for just that year. The night that I was decorating my tree, I heard carolers at my door. There stood, my friends - Tim and Polly with there three oldest boys...at that time they only had three children and Matthew was in a baby carrier. They gave me an adorable ornament - a yellow star with the Precious Moments Nativity scene on it. It has been on my tree every year since, usually right out in front for all (mainly me) to see. Every year as I place it on my tree, I stop and thank God for that family.

Growing up we had a real tree. I have always loved the smell and look of a real tree. After that first Christmas on my own, I had a tradition of getting a real tree. The second Friday in December, I had a friend that graciously and patiently went with me to select that year's tree. He was the shake, shake, shake, bounce, bounce, bounce, spin, spin, spin guy. After hours of picking up almost every tree on the lot and doing the shake, bounce, spin routine...waiting for me to see the lights and hear the angels sing (you know like Chevy Chase in Christmas Vacation), he would throw that year's perfect tree in the back of his truck and we would head home. He would haul the tree up to my apartment. Once the tree was standing by itself in the tree stand, I would order the pizza. As I was getting the other decorations out he would tackle the lights. Soon the pizza would arrive and after we ate it was my turn. I would put the ornaments on. First the sentimental ones...my baby bulb, the star from the Baltzer's, ornaments from years past, etc. Then the new ornament of the year - each year I get a new ornament for my tree. Then the fillers - white snow flakes, red velvet bows, red and silver bulbs and candy canes. This would take a good long while, and soon my tree buddy would be napping on the couch - his belly full and his body warm. When I was done decorating, I would wake him up with much excitement, and we would turn all the lights off and turn on the tree. It was so much fun. The entire evening, we would laugh and share, and just enjoy our friendship. I looked forward to that evening each year!

However, last year was my first Christmas without my friend, he was still around...but we had drifted apart - he more than me, and he wasn't really into being friends or hanging out anymore. It made (and still makes) my heart very sad. Last year was the first time that I can ever remember not having Christmas decorations at my house. I didn't put up one decoration - not even a display of the Christmas cards I had received. It just didn't feel right - I loved our tradition and I was mourning it's departure. A day or two before Christmas I woke up and went to the living room - it was as cold and dead inside as it was outside, it didn't even feel like Christmas. I sat on the couch thinking..how could I do that to myself? How could I let this one person rob me of the joy I had in my decorations and the Christmas season? I decided that Christmas 2007 would be the last Christmas without decorations, as long as I could control it. So the day after Christmas I selected an artificial tree and decided that until I find a new Christmas Tree Buddy, this would do. It was pre-lite, so I didn't have to worry about getting the lights just so either. And it wasn't too heavy - so I could easily carry it to and from it's non-December resting place. I was so excited that I could hardly wait until this year to put it up.

Well that tree went up this past Friday, and it came down that same day. The lights didn't work...ugh. So after several phone calls, the tree went back in the box, was loaded into the car and back to Walmart it went. But a new tree came home with me and it's lights work just great. It went up on Saturday morning, and I'm almost done decorating it. This year I seem to be doing it in shifts, it's not ideal - but it is what it is. I'm eagerly awaiting the lighting of the Villa de Megalicious 2008 Christmas tree. I even have pine scented candles to make me think that I still have my real tree. If all goes as planned, it will occur on Thursday evening! I will finish decorating and sit back with my cup of tea and gaze at my tree - all by myself. But I know I'll be smiling and frankly that's all that matters - because I'll have a Christmas with decorations and the start of a new tradition!!!