The Secret Life of Melanie O.
 
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Christmas memories
When I was little (and even now), our Christmas tree was really important to me. I don't know why this is. I've always loved trees in general - to make tree houses in, to swing on their branches, to hide under the low lying ones and enjoy the shade in summer - trees have always been special to me. This is probably why I don't think I could live in a well developed metropolitan area. Not unless I can afford a large estate with a lot of trees on it.

At Christmas, for a few years, our family would do the traditional thing and go to a tree lot and cut down our own tree. My dad actually did this the old-fashioned way: with an axe and hand saw. By the time I got to be 12, he had tired of that, and we started to buy trees from tree lots. It wasn't as meaningful, but at least we had a real tree for Christmas.

One year, things were a little grim. It was Christmas Eve and we still didn't have a tree! I was frantic about it and begged and pleaded with my dad to get a tree. Of course, just about every tree lot in town was sold out, but there were a few dried out and barren trees outside the local grocery store. Most of them looked as if they'd been cut down several weeks earlier. Someone had spray painted them in the hope of selling them at the last minute. We were one of those last minute customers.  My dad and I came home with a tree that was spray painted pale pink. We paid $8 for it. Funny how I still remember that detail.

The pink tree was pretty bare on one side, but we turned it to the wall and decorated it, and it did fine for us that Christmas Eve and for a few days afterwards. Fortunately, it didn't catch fire. One can only imagine how flammable it was, all dried out and spray painted!

I think my dad felt bad about not getting a tree until the last minute that year. Soon afterwards, he joined the Lions Club and was selling Christmas trees from the Lions Club lot in the freezing cold.  As for the old axe, I don't think it ever chopped down another tree.

Wishing you all much happiness this holiday season and in the new year.

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posted by Melanie O. at 9:37 PM -
3 Comments:
  • At 8:13 AM, Blogger David said…

    Christmas trees are really great. It wouldn't be the same without them.
    Happy new year to you and Dan :-)

     
  • At 6:34 AM, Blogger Katie said…

    I always buy my trees from Lions Club. They are beautiful and last a long time.

     
  • At 6:22 PM, Blogger Melanie O. said…

    That's awesome, Katie. I wish my dad was alive today. He'd be tickled to know that.

     
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About Me
Name: Melanie O.
Home: Durham, North Carolina, United States
About Me: Female, American health and beauty-conscious professional who has rekindled a childhood love of dolls.
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