Got the Tree up in Time for Christmas 2010

I finally got our Christmas tree up a couple of weeks ago.

I had planned to put it up back in September, but would like to claim that I have been procrastinating all these months. The truth of the matter is that I’ve been putting it off as I haven’t been in the mood due to too much stress in the office.

As much as I would like to leave what’s taken up in the office in the office, but that has not happened. I always ended up brining home work in the form of stress and irritability.

Admittedly, I still wasn’t in the mood to put up the decorations two weeks ago. But what changed my mind was that my wife started wrapping the gifts we had bought from downtown and didn’t have a proper place to put it.

So even if I didn’t feel like it, I reluctantly put up the tree.

From the skirt at the bottom, to the star at the top, it took me about four hours to complete. By the time I finished everything by one in the morning; it was a sight to behold.

No, it wasn’t spectacular, as what you’d see in the movies. It wasn’t tall, standing only at six feet. It wasn’t thick, as one could see the central spine. And it wasn’t wide, being about one and a half my width.

But it was still something to see.

We pulled out our old, trusty skirt to cover the base. I purchased four strands of non-blinking lights. We then opened up all our old trimmings, composed of balls and cartoon characters. Then above it all, sat a blinking multi-colored, but inexpensive star. It was perfect.

An even though I was tired after working on it, all my weariness just seemed to evaporate as I looked at it.

For once, in quite a long time, I felt the Christmas of my childhood flood back in to me.

It was a time of awe; a time of wonder; and a time when the pleasant feelings all emanated from deep within.

Even after two weeks, I find that the stress I carry home is still the same. But after seeing our tree glisten and twinkle every time I come home, is enough to drain it all away.

And just when I thought the tree could not get any better, my wife changes all of that with the simple act of adding a newly wrapped gift every night.

At this stage, I’ve already gotten gifts for most of my friends and officemates, based on the tips of a past article. I also have a few gifts for a few family members waiting underneath.

The gifts vary in sizes, from a large box housing a doll house for one of my nieces to a medium-sized box containing a remote-controlled car for one of my nephews. Soft gifts, composed of shirts are also found, tucked in between the bigger gifts. The smaller, more fragile ones can be found safely stored at the corner, away from possible damage. We even have a big bone tucked underneath everything for our dog to open.

If there is any form of regret I have, it’s not putting up the tree sooner.

If I had, then I would have enjoyed the feeling of Christmas much sooner. Hopefully, that is a lesson I will remember for next year.

In the meantime, I plan to relish the fact that Christmas has finally made itself felt in our home this year.

Merry Christmas to one and all!