Today's the day I usually try to get into the Christmas spirit, the first Saturday of December. The weatherman says we might get some snow tomorrow. There is only a dusting to an inch expected in our area, and if he's correct that will be enough for me. Perhaps a dash of that white stuff will aid in that quest to feel the merriment of the season.
This afternoon's activities included that annual trek up the Matterhorn, figuratively speaking that is. The trek was actually that hike up into the attic, which first required the removal of debris lining each step of the narrow stairway. That debris, not unlike the piles of both similar and differing objects up beyond the last riser, is bits and pieces of my life, our life.
When first observed the two rooms of the attic appear cluttered and unorganized. Cluttered they are, but there is a semblance of organization known to only myself. I hadn't been up there since last January when the decorations of last Christmas were returned there. Amid the boxes and bags lie wrapping paper, bows, packages of gift tags, etc., all purchased for some Christmas somewhen.
There is probably enough wrapping paper up there to cover gifts for all my remaining Christmases. Yet, each year we purchase more of it as we have done in the years before that and will no doubt do so again this year. I made note to haul some of it downstairs this year, if for no other reason than perhaps in some small part save a stand of trees somewhere.
Today however, my goal was to retrieve only one thing - the Christmas tree. As for the other decorations, especially those that will occupy the exterior of our house, they will have to wait until tomorrow. In our house, the holiday season isn't truly here until the tree is standing.
We no longer trim a real tree for Christmas. We haven't for a long time, and I can't rightly remember the last time we did not use an artificial tree. For the last five years or so we have put up a fiber optic tree which puts on a display of constantly changing light and colors. From the box, the two sections put together onto the stand, the power cord connected and plugged in and the power switched on, barely five minutes transpire.
With the exception of the angel topper, which is also fiber optic, very little in the way of decorations is required for the tree. With four-thousand points of lights from its lower branches to the top, snow frosted branches and several fake holly leaves and red berries scattered about the tree, it appears decorated as it even in the daylight. We will, however, hang a few sentimental pieces on its branches.
Here's an image of a British post card I found.
Tomorrow's task of putting up the lights to illuminate the outside of the house reminded me of the following from my December '06 archives:
Oh, the tangled web we weave...
we that weave tangled Christmas lights.
As if you didn't know, what happens when I start musing? Why I find the inspiration to parody a Christmas song, of course!
Tangled Lights
(Sung to the tune of Jingle Bells)
Thrashing through the box
For a working set of lights
I could smash em with rocks
Cursing with all my might.
Lights on tangled strings
I tug, pull and I jerk
What hell it is to find one thing
That maybe just might work.
~(chorus:)~
Tangled lights, tangled lights,
Tangled in every way,
Oh how I'd like to find
One working set to display.
O,Tangled lights, tangled lights,
Tangled in every way,
Oh what fun it is to find
Just one that works today.
An hour or so ago
I thought I'd write a blog
And soon Miss Cellania might
Add a link to her site.
The words are mean and rank
The torture seemed my lot,
Blew a fuse, my poor heart sank
I need some booze and some pot.
~(chorus:)~
Now the lights are aglow
Come see 'em if you will,
I'll charge admission so
I can pay the electric bill.
Next year I think I'll buy
A set,two or three or four
I'll put them up in July
And take them down nevermore!
~(chorus:)~
№ 1547
8 comments:
Snow......ewwwww! I'm glad it doesn't do that where I live.
Bah, Humbug.
Snow here tonight and all day tomorrow. Bah, humbug. I now must go find the snow shovel.
But before I leave, I'll leave this TAG. Ha! You have been infected with the I Splotchy story virus. It is a continuing story picked up and taken from where you find it, but must be linked back to me, your tagger, Randal, my tagger, and I Splotchy the evil bastard who started this meme. Good luck, I know you're up to it, it's why I chose you.
Trudging up the Matterhorn!! What an apt metaphor for going into the attic to retrieve Christmas decorations. That's certainly how I look at it.
Snow is in our future too. We will get some idea on the 10 PM news as to when and how much.
We got into the Christmas spirit right on time this year. The day after Thanksgiving is usually the day we begin to decorate for the season. Since we were in Portland at that time we ended up helping our youngest daughter. We were surprised to learn that she is still using the old artificial tree we used to have. It isn't very large but it serves the purpose. There will be a posting about it soon.
In the meantime, take care, dress warmly, and enjoy the season.
Christina,
The weatherman was right. It was just a dusting - enough to coat the grass and stick to the parked cars.
Tomorrow, there'll probably be little evidence that it snowed at all.
Bah, humbug - snow indeed.
On the tag - I'll get over there as soon as I can.
Judy,
I figured using Mt. Everest would have been overkill. The Matterhorn was more fitting.
Jack,
Just having the tree up, even if the outside isn't decorated is enough to elevate the spirits.
One of our radio stations began playing Christmas carols two weeks before Thanksgiving - too early for me - but now that it's going into the second week of December and the tree is up, I'll be tuning in my radio in my truck to it.
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