I'm all decked now..........................Aunt Be   Author:  30747  Category:(Interesting) Created:(12/8/2001 8:32:00 PM) This post has been Viewed (269 times) I finally got my house decorated for Christmas and it only took 9 1/2 hours. I started out bright and early this morning pulling out all the boxes of mangled tree lights and ornaments that some how mangage to break themselves sometime during the past 11 months of being totally undesturbed in the attic. I sware there are ornament gremblins living up there having a party with cheap glass balls of red, silver and blue. After 10 exhausting trips up and down the attic stairs carring boxes of christmas treasures and breaking a nail in the process, my son thought it was party time and started taring things out left and right. Before I knew it the family room was in such a disaray that I had to wonder how long it would take before I hit the eggnog...and I mean the good stuff. *smiles* This is the time of year I really curse myself out for being single. If ever I needed a man it was today. This was the first real tree I have ever had to deal with personally and I'm here to say...it was not a fun time. The sap was running all over my hands and I got nuerotic about it. "get it off me, get it off me" I yelled at my son. Why do kids think it's sooo funny when a grown up panics? I got the tree standing upright...kind of. It took a while but I think the nail holes in the walls for the twine to hold the tree semi straight can be covered by pictures when the tree comes down. Then I went about trying to untangle the tree lights. I swear I put them away perfectly last year so as not to have this problem but I guess those gremblins REALLY like to mess with my mind. After about an hour of getting no where with that I had two choices...either I could throw the darn things in a balled up mess on the tree and get me some egg nog..or I could go shopping and buy new lights like I do every year. *sigh* I went shopping. And of course while I was out fighting the happy christmas crowds who obviously already have their houses decorated and trees up or they wouldn't of been so darn happy...I pick up more cheap glass balls and tinsle...and extra eggnog just in case I run out. Josh and I finally got the lights on the tree and praise be they all worked so I'm thinking now is a good time to celebrate my good fortune and have me some eggnog. We went about decorating..putting special ornaments up frount and the crappy ones in back cuz no one really sees them out the window anyway. My son has a mind of his own and decided he knew best where to put things so pretty much one side of the tree was loaded down with Santas and angels. When he wasn't looking I would move a few but he caught on and moved them back. So my tree is half tastefully done and half cartoon. All the other decorations went up and then it was time for the candy canes and tinsle. I was in charge of the tinsel and Josh took the candy canes. Surfice it to say...half the candy canes made it to the tree and the other half...well the dentist will be giving his traditional candy cane lecture next week. I am not a big fan of tinsle but it is a tradition in my family. The darn stuff ends up everywhere but the tree and clogs up the vacumn. Every year I beg my son to let me omit the tinsle and every year I get the sad "but mom..." Then came the angel for the top. This is always a special moment in my christmas traditions. I don't even know what the tradition is but I know it's special. I let Josh do it this year cuz he's finally gotten big enough. Once that was done we stood back and there was a moment of unexplained silence that happens every year as if we are reflecting on the real meaning and beauty of Christmas looking at the tree in all it's glory and splender. I felt peace and joy...then my son says.."mom that really sucks. You don't have enough ornaments on your side and it's crooked. geezz mom" I decided it was eggnog time. There was still alot to do. The christmas village had to be layed out. I let Josh do that because..well it kept him out of my hair for a while. I put up my mothers collection of mechanical santas that really annoy me. My mother has a "thing" for things that are cheesy and make noice. Okay some of them are cute but do we really need to be looking at redneck santa and santa on a surf board for 3 weeks? We hung the wreath on the door and the bells in the hallway. Put the christmas guest towels in the bathroom, all the christmas candles on the fireplace,hung the stockings with care, Knick Knacks in every available and inconvient place you can imagine. Then cleaned up and looked around. Could this place look anymore like Hallmarks warehouse? Okay, it looks nice. The most important thing is it's done and for 3 weeks I can enjoy it and only mildly be aware that in 3 weeks I've got to take all this stuff down and pack it away. Where the heck are those gremblins when I need them? Then came the shinning moment when it was time to turn off all the lights and light the tree. After 9 1/2 hours of frustration and wanting nothing more then to settle down with a nice cup of eggnog...Whalla...Looking at that tree brought tears to my eyes and it was all worth it. Of course we had to go out side to look in the window at it too. Then we came inside and smelled the pine immediately. (its Joshuas first real tree and he didn't know what that would be like) We sat for like an hour just staring at the tree and not saying anything. The lights dancing off the ornaments and tinsle, christmas music playing, sipping my eggnog and reflecting on past christmases with a smile. Wondering what future christmases would be like when Josh grows up and makes me a grandma. What a wonderful feeling that is. Then Josh jumps up and says with an evil smile..."I forgot something" Curious I asked him what and he went running to his room, coming out with something behind his back, giggling he throws me some misstle toe and says "I thought you could use this" HaHa that's my boy, always thinking. Always going behind my back with that mind of his own and making me smile. So my job is done here for now. Until next week when I've got to start making my cookies. I hope you all have a wonderful and happy Christmas. *hugs* How it changed my life: hasn't changed my life yet but I'm hoping this mistletoe has a little magic in it. *smiles* You can join Unsolved Mysteries and post your own mysteries or interesting stories for the world to read and respond to Click here Scroll all the way down to read replies. Show all stories by   Author:  30747 ( Click here ) Spring is coming