Friday, December 26, 2008

Here comes 2009...

Sadly, I was taken out by one hell of a Christmas cold. I am still coughing up several organs at regular hourly intervals.

This year, as with others, is complete with several happy holiday memories for the mental scrapbook I carry around. Not the least of which was the little adventure that was created when we went to get the tree....

I have an artificial one. It's perfectly suitable and does not require fussing about in sub zero weather. BUT... my parents decided they really wanted to take the kids out to a tree farm like we used to do, select the tree and drink hot chocolate.

It seems all warm and fuzzy doesn't it? But my memories of the same tradition as a child picture it more as a form of unusual torture; forced out of bed at an ungodly hour, dressed in so many clothes we could not feel our limbs, driven tired out to a field somewhere - on the way passing by some parking lots filled with lovely pre-selected and pre cut trees - and squishing our faces against the window praying that THAT was the tree farm. On we would drive - usually for 30 minutes. Usually in a snow storm. We would arrive, trek off into the wilderness - our noses running and our fingers threatening to fall off. We would spy a tree and point it out. The standard response was issued, "Let's remember that one..." On we would wander in snow up to our middles, no longer able to feel our toes. Eventually someone would start wining - sometimes even snivelling. Father would get edgy; this was the great tree tradition and it would be fun... eventually we would end up going to the nearest tree, chopping it down and dragging it home to decorate. We would be frozen, grumpy and exhausted. In actual fact, somehow those have turned into some of the best memories I have.

This year was no exception. The poor kids, lol. Dressed up like little Eskimos they trudged through waist deep snow. They gave up several times and just lay down atop the white stuff - but it occurred to them whilst down there to perfect their snow angel making abilities. Way to take the lemons kids! They were amazing. I ended up giving Babs a piggy back for part of the way. But the rest of the time they ended up being little troopers - on a big adventure. The day was cold but sunny and the blanket of snow glistened like diamonds. We wrote messages in the snow to each other - and took turns dragging the tree. We trekked half an hour out into the woods and back again. I occasionally stopped to text message Spartan (and wrote a few messages in the snow for him too). Then we went for hot chocolate and treats. The kids had pink little cheeks and dimples as deep as the snow. They are so proud of their tree.

Don't get me wrong - I love the idea of an artificial tree - but I think once and a while it might have to be part of the tradition to trek out to a tree farm and make some more memories - frozen toes be damned.

Hope you guys all had a wonderful holiday.

8 comments:

Unknown said...

It got here soooo fast!

Deborah Carr (Debs) said...

I loved reading that. We don't have tree farms like that over here, or snow, not now anyway.

Hope you had a wonderful Christmas.

XXYXX said...

Count yourself lucky that your Dad didn't take the whole tree hunting idea over to getting the turkey.

Glad to see you're wit is intact, even if your internal organs are making a high velocity bid for freedom via your nose. Get well soon, and hope your Christmas was as lovely as ours.

Janine / Being Brazen said...

feel better soon :)

Callie said...

I hope you feel better soon! Nothing worse than having a cold over the holidays.

We love going to the Christmas Tree farm. Sadly, since we got rid of the truck, and haven't had the time to make a trailer for the car yet, we've been relegated to buying a tree from the local Christmas Tree lot for the last couple of years. We're hoping to resume our farm tradition next year.

Anyone know where I can get a trailer??? :-)

Romeo Morningwood said...

Tru dat!
The Christmas trees that don't get picked are left to be ridiculed by the REAL trees and eventually these losers end their own misery to escape from the relentless torment, guilt and shame.

Making memories is what it is all about.

Slyde said...

i for one have never cut down my own tree. i've bought pre-cut real trees many times tho.

happy holidays, missy!

i am the diva said...

holy cow, i can't believe i've been gone for so long i missed your news about getting married!?!? CONGRATS!!!!