Christmas Tree Erection

This post is about putting up our Christmas Tree so if you came here expecting some sort of fetish thing you're going to be disappointed. Sicko!

This weekend we turned on the Christmas at our house. We set up the tree and put up all the house decorations. It's amazing how long it takes to put it all up and how little to take it all down again.

Part of our family tradition is for me to assemble the tree a number of times before getting it right. We have an artificial tree with spacers between the branch pieces. Do you think I could possibly get this thing in order on the first try? Actually, the answer is yes. Once. Last year I believe I got it on the first try. Every other year the answer has been, no. A few years ago I even wrote the numbered order on each of the branch pieces. Great idea, now I always get the branches right but the spacers get me every time. This year the third try did the trick. Maybe I should number the spacers this year.

Next, it's time for the lights. Usually, I am emotionally spent after wrestling with the enigma that is our tree and have neither the physical or mental strength to take on the dreaded tree lights. This is all for "Jules". She was mentally fresh for this task because she left the house during "The Great Tree Build" to get lights and balls. And it's a good thing she was still fresh because although I hate to put up the lights I love to criticize the person who does put them up. Mercifully for everyone involved I left the room and found something else to do until the lights were finished. The lights this year were the best yet.

Next it's time for the kids to have their go. They get to put on the ornaments and other miscellaneous tree stuff. Due to the limited length of their arms, this usually results in an excess of decorations on the lower parts and a total lack of decorations at the top. The adults then step in to evenly distribute the decorations. I swear I found 4 decorations on one branch. Once this is finished we turn on the lights and go "OOOOOHHH, AAAAHHHH..." and such.

The youngest child slept through the entire tree decorating process. I couldn't wait to see the look of excitement, joy, awe on her face when she stepped around the corner. The look wasn't quite what I expected. She was scared of the tree. I thought, "This is great! The tree will be safe this year!" No such luck the fear wore off and in no time she was pulling off decorations and eating candy canes along with her sisters.