'Why on earth do I subject myself to this torture?", I asked myself this morning when the tree came crashing down yet again. 'Never again", I informed the kids, "by the time you get home, the tree will be gone, and I will never get you another one."
I meant every word. Strictly speaking, Christmas is not even 'my' holiday, and none except the Christian households even have a tree.
By the time I put the tree together again, my anger had dissipated. After all, it is traditions that sustain us, and knocking down the tree is a tradition too.
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A drabble is a story told in exactly 100 words.
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| The Tree in all its glory, after being dressed by the kids! |
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| With the lights on- kid wandered into the pic! |
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| The Angle of Choice! My favourite ornament- a gift from an Austrian friend. |
40 comments:
Rayna - So glad you recognize the tradition of "frustrated laughter."
I takes laughter to Be Jolly!
Oh I so get this! Whose tradition is the tree? I think it is the druidic one, the pagan one so I like it! In our home there are two Buddhists (step-dot and I) one atheist (I suppose us Buddhists are too but in a different way) and an undecided - Felix, our German student. So we put a tree up, we have stockings, we go to some carol sings and concerts because we love them, step-dot and I go to the Buddhist temple for the solstice and she and I are attending a pagan sun-rise service tomorrow. jeesh.
I LOVE IT ALL!
Rayna - Traditions come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, and it's those things that bind a family together. If a tradition is tree falling over, well, it will make for one of those stories that bring your family together.
Oh, and I love your 'photos! That angel is beautiful.
oh, no! You knocked it down? Ours is actually small, artificial and placed high on a counter for that reason--well, the cat's the reason. I don't know why that makes a difference to her... ;p
Love your story, and love your tree! Merry Christmas! :o) <3
Traditions always come with one frustrating aspect to them, yours just happens to be a knocked down tree.
I kind of like it, I think I could make this a tradition :)
Happy Holidays!
Jules @ Trying To Get Over The Rainbow
PS It is not "my" holiday either.
@ Mary - if I didn't know that, I would go mad!!!
@ Jan - that's so cool.
As far as I am concerned, I know I belive in something, but that is not necessarily in any of the religions. But till my kids are old enough to know for themselves, I want to bring them up with traditions. And Christmas is a tradition.
And in India, don't you dare say Buddhism is not a religion- it is!
@ Margot - the tradition, in that case, is my screaming, because that happens with unfailing regularity. By now the kids have learnt to just ignore.
@ Leigh - twice since it went up on Friday - the first immediately after it was up!
Mine is artificial too, but a small one placed high on a shelf is a great idea.
@ Jules - they do, don't they? I wodner why I thought it was only me.
You have to knock your tree over a few times each year now. It's tradition.
Oh, but it's such a festive tree! Maybe family members can take turns knocking it down.
Well said Rayna and believe me you will miss the crashing tree in years to come.
It's a beautiful tree and I'm sure your boys love it!
My Christmas tree has never fallen down, not even with an evil cat in the house. I guess I'm lucky :-)
Beautiful tree! I used to have a small one as a kid, but now we are never at home for xmas... we make the most of the hols by travelling then, so Samhith has never really had a tree for himself... if we did, i am sure it would have come crashing down too!
Oh I hear you, sister! Ours fell down last year and broke my favorite ornament. So frustrating. I applaud you trying to make traditions for your boys! I think traditions make kids feel safe and loved. Doing them together inevitably makes for some frustrating times, but worth it in the end.
You have a beautiful tree, an adorable child and a fabulous story.
Happy Holiday to you all.
I so relate to all the things you've said here re the tree and traditions and such. And then you look at it and all Christmas-related stuff and feel its "energy" and you just feel better.
That's worth so much, isn't it?
B
I am glad to see the tree survived :D
Aww! Love it! My daughter always clumps all the ornaments in one area of the tree and the rest is bare. Have a happy holiday!
You had me laughing before 7am! I know you were frustrated, but you've expressed such love and generosity. Beautiful.
During my first years of marriage I insisted we tromp through the woods, hack down a tree and drag it home. My eyes were always bigger than our living room. My poor husband spent hours trying to get the thing upright and straight. It never failed -- after drinking water all night, I'd wake to find the monstrosity tipped over with pine needles and decorations everywhere. One year he even strung it to the corner to prevent a disaster. Now, I have two skinny pre-lit trees that open like an umbrella and take about 10 minutes to put up. I learned...So far, no falling trees.
This all sounds like lots of fun! Merry Christmas!
Yup, it’s all about traditions (even the not so fun ones).
Love your tree! Nothing quite like children's eyes for that kind of thing... ; )
Merry Christmas!
Even if you don't celebrate Christmas, your family can have a lot of fun with that tree by gathering ornaments from all over!
How special that the kids decorated the tree! My daughters just wanted it up, and were just kinda "meh" about helping decorate it. Yeah, they're weird. LOL Nice decorations, and Merry Christmas!
Love the ornaments. Your kids did a great job decorating the tree.
Happy Holidays!
Your tree is lovely. You’re right, tree disasters are a part of Christmas traditions. They also make memories that brings smiles for years to come.
It can be so frustrating! My dad nailed a lot of trees to the wall over the years! Enjoy :)
I'm glad you changed your mind! Stuff happens-but we always laugh at it later. :)
So Cute! You're a trouper and should win just for putting it up so many times!!!
The tree is adorable and the drabble - perfect! Happy holidays, Rayna! You're such a sweetie. ;D
I too am glad you changed your mind. The tree looks so adorable! And it is well loved...hence the crashing down!! Ha!
Let's hope it stays up this time around?
Hugs
SueAnn
teehee--good to find the humor in the frustration... yes, knocking over the tree is indeed a tradition... sounds like you need a better stand...
Sometimes ya just gotta laugh. It makes the frustrations melt away. I hope it doesn't fall over again!
Aw, your kids did a great job on the tree! :-)
How fabulous!! I'm so sorry I was late! My internet wasn't working last night (imagine the disarray in my house!!)
Love the photos they're incredible! Great decorations!
Cute tree. I'm sure your kids were glad to find it was again standing when they got home.
We humans are creatures of rite and ritual, trends and traditions - wherever they may spring from.
Love your tree and I love that you work to provide traditions for your children (even if said traditions have their frustrating aspects).
Enjoy!
Nicely told tale. I hope the tree stays put for the rest of its time.
One had to have a sense of humor, especially during the holidays! I'm glad you kept yours. The decorations are homey and wonderful.
Happy holidays to you and your family.
Michael
@ Chris - thanks for stopping by. It has become a tradition, hasn't it?
@ Alex - now, that is an idea. Would be fun knocking it down, if someone else gets to pick up after me.
@ Ann - I do hope that comes soon, and I do think I will miss this time when it does.
@ Debra - that they do. It is "our" tree.
@ Vanessa - thanks for stopping by. Need to get a better stand I do.
@ Anu - I am sure S is better behaved than that. And travelling during holidays is great fun too, isn't it?
@ Tina - that is so sad about the ornament. I keep telling myself not to get attached to things, but some things are precious because they have memories.
@ Elaine - thanks for stopping by. And thank you- they are the cutest ever, but I am biased.
@ Barbara - precisely!
@ Dorte - the tree is stronger than I ever suspected.
@ Candyland - thanks for stopping by. And kids are funny that way, aren't they?
@ Sue - I am glad I gave someone a laugh :-)
@ Charlie - thanks for stopping by. That's such a lovely story. If we had pines in India, I am sure I would have wanted them too. But that pre-lit tree sounds awesome.
@ L'Aussie - thanks for stopping by. Fun it definitely was.
@ Holly - it is, isn't it?
@ Tessa - thanks for stopping by. Quite true.
@ Diane - I do intend starting to collect nice ornaments when the younger one is old enough to allow the tree to remain intact.
@ Carol - thanks for stopping by. My kids enjoy the process, even if they don't know the first thing about hanging up decorations.
@ Kimberly - thanks for stopping by. And so many of the ornaments have memories.
@ Jane - they do, don't they? I am already smiling.
@ Jemi - that is really smart, actually.
@ Oddyoddyo13 - that we do.
@ Danette - they do like it, after all.
@ RaShelle - thank you.
@ SueAnn- the tree is definitely loved.
@ Hart - that is precisely what I need- a Naman-proof stand.
@ Nicole - thanks for stopping by. I agree. Laughing is better than doing away with something that is fun
@ Jennie - thanks for stopping by. I'll tell them that.
@ Jen - no internet- I would die.
@ Susanne - thanks for stopping by. They couldn't believe their luck.
@ KjM - I love traditions, and have created my own- a mixture of what my family does, and my husband's family, and stuff I have just picked up along the way.
@ Tara - I hope so too
@ Michael - thanks for stopping by. And I cannot but agree- hard to survive holidays without a sense of humour.
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