O Christmas Tree - Finding the Right Tree

 

Shopping for a Christmas tree is serious business. Lin likes getting a tree early, so it can be enjoyed all season long. We've chopped down our own trees in the past at Christmas tree farms, but being in an urban setting as we are now, it's easier to find a local nursery with a Christmas tree lot.

Choosing the right tree requires lots of patience since everyone has to agree that it's the right tree. It's almost a sacred ritual ... except when the temp is below freezing, then the sacred aspect is overtaken by the fact we're freezing our butts off and the decision-making process can, on occasion, suffer a bit.

Christmas trees trace their roots to pagan customs, as do many of our seasonal rituals. Long before Christianity adopted the custom, the evergreen was a symbol of life eternal in the midst of the dark days of winter and the cold and snow. The decorated Christmas tree can be traced back to the ancient Romans. They decorated trees with small pieces of metal during Saturnalia, a winter festival in honor of Saturnus, the god of agriculture.

So what's our criteria for buying a tree. Well, first of all, it's got to be real. No pink, turquoise or flocked snow, and no artificial trees allowed. No Charlie Brown trees. It's got to be tall … but not too tall. It's got to be full … but not fat. There must be no bare spots. It must be shaped beautifully … but maybe have a flatter side, so it fits nicely against the wall or window. The top of the tree has to be perfectly formed to accommodate the single gold star we mount there. The trunk has to fit into the existing Christmas tree stand.

Despite the below freezing temps and the strict criteria, we managed to find the perfect tree, a fine Balsam fir, along with lots of other greenery in about 30 minutes.

We brought it home, set it in its stand, gave it a big drink of water and let it sit overnight to relax in its new home. Decorating will come later.

Thanksgiving - A Family Together

 

The Pilgrims had the right idea in setting aside a day specifically for giving thanks and feasting. There's a pilgrim statue right here in Walpole. I went to visit him and thank him for being so astute and thinking ahead. Oh, I realize it wasn't really him though he's wearing one of those funky Pilgrim hats. His name is Lieutenant Lewis and he fought in Queen Anne's War in the early 18^th century … too late to be an actual Pilgrim. But maybe it was his parents or grandparents that played a role in setting aside the day. In fact, probably much of our history about the first Thanksgiving is myth, but I like to think the first colonists might have sat down with their Native American neighbors and just might have given thanks and feasted together. Rather naïve of me … and probably a fairy tale, but still a nice thought.

This Thanksgiving we are with my sister, Lin, and her family. David's brother, Paul, has flown in from Oklahoma to join us. Nick is home from college. Old family friends are joining us, too. Bea is doing well and she's all excited about today's feast … and the pies … and the card playing afterwards. It's a family tradition shared throughout the USA. This is not our whole family, of course. David's older sister , our youngest son and the grandkids are in Colorado. Our oldest son and his wife are in Washington, D.C. David's Mom and younger sister are in Las Vegas. The family is dispersed across the country. But there will be phone calls and Happy Thanksgiving texts throughout the day.

If there's one thing this year has taught us, it's that we must make the most of our time together with family and friends. You never know when there won't be a next time. So, we give thanks for the time we have had this year and toast those who are not with us. We give thanks for having this opportunity to be close and share a sumptuous feast. And we give thanks for all those pies!

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours. Not from the US? Have some pie anyway.

How Many Pies?

 

Each year Lucy, Lin's mother-in-law, makes pies for Thanksgiving dinner. She's a great cook and a particularly good pie maker. Around November 1st, she begins asking each of us what pie we'd like this year for Thanksgiving. If she forgets to ask, we bring up the subject. This is an important aspect of the Thanksgiving holidays.

When I say “pies” in the US, by the way, we automatically think dessert, versus Australia and New Zealand and Britain where “beef and kidney” come to mind. I've already blogged about those pies. I'm talking dessert, here … so let there be no misunderstanding. I'm definitely talking dessert.

This year Lin and I voted for coconut cream. David, of course, wanted pumpkin … it's traditional. Nick wanted cherry and Kerry wanted pecan. Bea likes apple best. Lucy usually throws in one or two extras for good measure. We've loaded up on fresh, heavy whipping cream and vanilla ice cream. Heaven forbid we go without on Thanksgiving.

Too much, maybe? Au contraire. On this day, in this house, after we give thanks, the big question is: How Many Pies?