O Tannenbaum

Driving around town over the weekend, I noticed all the cars with trees strapped to their roofs, which I find really heartwarming—especially after being bombarded by the commercial crap of the holidays, starting the day before Halloween. A decorated tree is one of the best things about the season. I love driving down Summit Avenue on my way home from work, where evergreens strung with golden lights fill corner windows in nearly every house.

Since we're traveling to Princeton this Christmas, John and I agreed we would forgo a Christmas tree. Instead, I bought a wreath from the neighbor kid selling them as a band fundraiser. Sure the wreath is fragrant with pine—and looks stunning hanging on our massive stucco fireplace. But somehow neither the wreath nor the bowl of red glass ornaments on the dining-room table provide adequate holiday spirit. I'm just not feeling it.

So, on our way home from the library on Sunday, Simon and I stopped at Nativity, a neighborhood church, to see if we could find a little tree. Some boys were dragging around a three-foot tree—much to their mother's annoyance (mine, too)—that looked perfect. But, it was likely the only one as we were unable to find another. After poking around a bit, a six-foot balsam beauty caught our eye. And in the split second it took to pay for the tree, someone had bundled it up and secured it to the roof of my station wagon. How Norman Rockwell is that?

Lucky for me, John arrived home from running his errands just a moment before I did. And boy was he ever surprised to see us inching down the alley with a tree on top of the car!

Last night the boys helped me trim the tree. Simon has the eye of a decorator and very carefully and thoughtfully hung some of the most delicate ornaments, while Winston hung all the unbreakables on the bottom branches. And, with only two small exceptions*, the tree is perfect.

*In replacing a bulb on the string of lights, somehow a whole section has gone rogue, blinking as if the strand was meant to do that. Fortunately, it's the middle section and is providing a nifty effect. The other is actually a larger issue: the stand has a leak. Not only did I had a small lake to clean up while avoid electrocution, but the tree hasn't had a drink in a few days. And, I had to find a replacement stand. We've tried metal and plastic, but every stand we've purchased has had just one use before it has broken. I've just picked up a cast-iron stand and will hope for the best.