Decorating for Christmas

 

Our bare Christmas tree was relaxed sufficiently. It needed a little bling. We spent an entire day decorating the tree and the house for the holidays. After all, it's been days since Thanksgiving. November and all the leftovers have gone. It was time to put away the fall leaves and turkey stuff and get into the new season. The big wreath was hung from the upstairs window first. Then window boxes received an evergreen and red berry boost.

Lugging all those well worn boxes and tubs from the cellar is always a chore, but nobody really minds (or at least they didn't complain out loud). The mess in the dining room quickly grew out of control. Lin had a decorating plan and was hellbent to see it through. White electric candles were placed on the window sills. We needed lots of extra bulbs. You wonder what happens to them while they sit in their boxes and wait from year to year, but nary a one of them was willing to light up without some coaxing.

On board, we usually wind a garland of faux-greens around the mast and hang ornaments collected from countries we've visited during our passages. It's a good time to reminisce about all the places we've visited in our travels. David patiently listens to the stories, told over and over again. There's not much room to stow ornaments aboard, so all the decorations we have are small and all fit neatly into one small plastic tub which is tucked away at the back of an infrequently used locker. We've had lights when electricity was available and we could find them, but usually it's minimal decorating.

The untangling of long strands of colored lights is left to the guys. It's definitely a “blue” chore. They patiently unwind, check lights, replace as necessary. The gold star is placed on the top first and then they wind the strands around the tree.

We sing Christmas carols. We drink wine. We celebrate each ornament as we unwrap it and hang it on the tree. Rocking horses, nutcrackers, fragile blown glass balls, angels and stars … each bauble seems to have its own story to tell and it takes awhile because they only get to tell their story once a year. The tree is trimmed with fine, warm memories.

We always bring a trinket back for Lin from each place we visit and they find their way into the tree-trimming celebration, too.

Our indoor cats love all the decorations. They especially love the tree. The smell, the feel, (and probably) the taste of it. They nuzzle, rub, sniff and lay beneath it,looking up into the dense needled branches. They tug at ribbons and garlands. Unlike other years, both cats are a bit too chubby to try to climb the tree and for that we are thankful … no anchoring necessary.

And so, the house and tree are ready to celebrate the season. Spirits are high.

Now comes the Christmas shopping to fill up the space under the tree ... or shall we just wait for Santa to do his thing?

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.