In a shocking reversal of past Christmas tree purchasing fiascos, the LightFamily descended upon the Christmas tree stand of choice, found a tree, agreed upon said tree, and purchased it … all within ten minutes. I nearly fainted.

The process usually involves close inspection of every tree on the lot.

Twice.

Then we settle on a tree.  There is usually some “discussion” involved.  Some compromise.  More talk about where the tree will be located in the house.  Derisive commentary about various trees and their likeness to the tree on Charlie Brown many years ago.  Then commentary about the abilities of certain adults to select trees based upon their childhood experiences.  By this time the LightChildren have gotten in on the act and all are laughing and making fun of one another and the various trees that are being championed.  We do tend to make fools of ourselves at the tree lot.  Somehow the angel never sits quite right on top, no matter how hard we try.  But that always seems to be part of the charm.

Part of the problem is that all of the trees are too pretty for me.  I’ve finally come to accept that.  I’ve even begun to embrace it.  While LightHusband and Children are looking for beautiful, I’m looking for crumbly.  While they are looking for straight, I’m looking for crooked.  They search out full, I’m fond of sparse.  I’m still searching for the Christmas trees of my youth.

My brothers and I used to tromp out in our woods … all 27 acres of them … and find a tree.  We’d walk around craning our necks to see the tops of 30 foot pines and try to find the tree with the best top six or so feet … from the ground.  I don’t remember a time when we were successful.  The trees from my youth looked like coat hangers with needles.  I’m pretty sure that the Charlie Brown tree was fuller than our trees.

I loved those trees.  The trees we get now are beautiful.  But it always feels as though we are cheating somehow.  There’s no work involved.  It’s much too easy.  Clean.  Tidy.  Low.  The trees are too pretty and when we get them home, the branches are too dense to decorate.

Tonight though, I think we found one just right.  It’s not too straight.  Not too dense.  Not too beautiful.  We’ll have to wait til tomorrow to get it into the house to see.