The Little Christmas Tree

Himself is having issues with his back so going up and down stairs and bringing up boxes of ornaments and the Christmas tree was a bit of a problem. We weren't sure the tree would be any good as we thought it was in its cardboard box under the stairs in the basement. The basement that flooded. The good news was the box was on top of plastic boxes that hold the bajillion lights Himself has amassed over the years. The bad news was it looks like a little critter that had come into the house over the Summer had made himself at home in the branches of the tree and possibly enjoyed snacking on the prelit Christmas tree lights. (Wouldn't have happened if Ink was still here.) We would have to get a new tree.

Now as much as I love the decorations and the Christmas tree, I'm not happy about the cleanup. You can always find an extra hand or two willing to decorate, but when it comes time to take down all the decorations and put them away, extra hands are no where to be found. Like rats leaving a sinking ship. I was all in favor of getting a small tree, maybe 4 to 5 feet tall that could fit on the tea table in front of the window. I wouldn't have to move furniture around to have the big tree in the front window. The tree and ornaments could be stored in a closet upstairs.

Himself was not thrilled with the idea of a small tree, but conceded. Searching online, the big box stores had some small trees, but ordering was not an option as the only time we had to do any decorating began on Monday, 18. December. And you really need to see the trees because lots of times they don't look anything like the picture. Off we went.

The only trees available were 9 feet tall. No small trees. No 7 foot trees like the one we had. A 9 foot tree would never fit in the dollhouse, not without cutting a hole in the ceiling. Not an option. We asked the customer service clerk if any of their other stores had small trees. Maybe at the Milford store.

Since there was a Target store next door, we stopped there. And there was a small tree. A white small tree like the nightmare of a tree from my childhood. No.

Everyone was out and about and rush hour traffic was getting heavy. Where else could we look? To be honest, I didn't really care.

 
I was perfectly happy with my Advent tree. It lives on a shelf in the living room closet. Easy to take down and put away.  As far as I was concerned, I was done decorating. My over the top Nativity had pride of place.

Himself wasn't buying into it. Even though I tried to pull a Linus by telling him Christmas wasn't all about the tree. Apparently, it is.

We were near The Christmas Tree Shop. Himself thought we would be able to find one there. I wasn't sure. I thought a Christmas tree was just the logo. Inside the store, we did find giant Christmas trees. We walked around and Himself found a white twig thing with lights. What about this? You balked when I suggested my Dr. Seuss tree (a tree made out of armature wire I used when I was selling personalized ornaments at craft fairs). No!

We searched through the boxes again. 9 ft. 9 ft. 7.5 ft 9fft. 9 and then almost hidden, a small box 4 ft. pre-lit porch tree. The tree skirt fit perfectly on the tea table, and I found some small ornaments from the ornament box.  The usual angel tree topper was too big, so I borrowed the star from the small tree in the bathroom. Ta- Da!

Though we be small, we are mighty.

 Santa, Frosty, and the NOEL Santa cocoa mugs are from Himself's childhood decorations. I'm not sure where the Baby Jesus came from. I found him in my parents' attic when I was cleaning out the house when they passed away. It's a life-size Baby Jesus used in the outdoor Nativities. We never had one of those.

A year or two before Dad went into the nursing home, I remember he told me something about hearing a baby crying. Baby was cold. Dad didn't know what to do. I thought it was just one of the memories Dad had. Maybe remembering when one of his siblings was born or of himself as a young father. He sometimes slipped through a wormhole going back in time. Never thought anything about it until I found Baby Jesus in the attic. A sinking feeling! Did Dad take home the baby after a wander around town? I never heard a news report that someone vandalized a church Nativity, and stole the Baby Jesus. So, if you're reading this, and your Nativity is missing its Baby Jesus, let me know. I have him. He's safe and warm. You can even have the gift crate, used as a manger, the undertaker sent for Christmas after my parents passed away. Sorry. Got carried away.

So, we are officially decorated for Christmas. 

The reindeer couple, Mary and Joe, named after my parents are sitting in the chair. Readers that follow The Throwback Thursday Notebook posts may be interested to know, Charlie's wife, Doris, gave my mother the dolls. My mother admired them when she visited Doris and Doris gifted her with them. I don't know whether Doris made them or where she had found them.

The elf legs I made last year to stick out of the tree, found their way into the Chinese vase. The large package is a gift for The Brother.

There's also a surprise addition to the decorations. I won this cute, Winter wreath in a raffle from Lady Caer Morganna from The Wiccan Life. I was feeling a little blue on the day the winner was announced so a wonderful pick me up. She also timed the mailing to arrive on the Winter Solstice. Perfect! I'm not a fan of Winter but this wreath makes me smile. Thank you, so much, my Lady, and thank Lady Tabitha, too. 😺