Christmas Tree Memories

Nowadays they make artificial trees that look pretty good.  Some look just as good or better than the real ones. Back when I was a kid we would always buy a live tree.  They may have had nice artificial trees back then, I don't know, but we didn't have one.

I always loved going with my parents to pick out the Christmas tree.  I remember specifically going to the fruit stand on the corner of 619 and Main Street.  Today that store is still there, built bigger and open year round, so I don't know if they still sell Christmas trees in the winter.  It was always freezing cold.  I remember my nose turning bright red and feeling like it was going to fall off my face.  But even though it was cold and possibly runny it still worked!  There is nothing like the smell of evergreen trees.  No spray or room deodorizer can compare to the fresh scent of those trees.

We were on a mission to find the best tree.  The helpers pulled them out one by one, shook them up and down a few times so we could see how they might look when the branches settled. I absolutely loved being involved in the decision making of choosing the perfect tree.  Most of the time we would all like the same one.

Then it was time to take it home and we tied it to the roof of the car and drove carefully home.  Fortunately we lived close by and my Dad and the workers knew how to tie on a tree.  Although, I vaguely remember one year when it wasn't tied on well and Dad had my older brothers holding it down through the open windows.  And I'm "positive" it was the "@$#%!#& worker's" fault.  I'm sure my Dad doesn't want me to remember the cursing part, but it was always a part of getting the tree home, in the house or putting it up somehow.

Now the tree part was my Dad's thing.  He was all manly man when picking it out, getting it home and putting it in the stand- BUT that's where it stopped!  the decorating, the shopping, the wrapping presents, the anything else was up to my Mom. (Hmmmmmm...that sounds all too familiar!)

And the tree HAD to be perfect!  "IF" the kids were "allowed" to help decorate it, I know after we went to bed my Mom rearranged it.

My Mom is or at least was a Hallmark ornament collector.  Our trees were always NOISY,  Clickety Clacking, because she always bought the cute moving ornaments.  We always had to have one with the date on it.  She would buy one before Christmas only if she thought she wouldn't be able to get it after Christmas. But she would buy the others the morning after Christmas. No Black Friday for my Mom, but the day after Christmas sale she was at Hallmark waiting before that door opened.  she wouldn't miss it!

She had so many ornaments that the tree was full all the way around.  No skimping on the back.  You could turn that tree in any direction and it would look perfect.  My Mom sent me a few pictures but the trees don't look as full as I remember them being!