I love Christmas- the spirit, the music, and the joy it inspires especially in children. You wouldn’t be able to tell from my living space though. I don’t put up decorations because it’s such a hassle. And at the top of that hassle list is the Christmas tree. We had a rather ornate tree when I was growing up that had to be assembled from scratch each year, then decorated. This usually devolved into an exercise in frustration, and by the time we were done all the Christmas spirit had drained out of us. Then, after Three Kings Day, the whole miserable process would start again, but in reverse. Needless to say, I haven’t had a full-size tree in my adult life.
Fortunately, my friends are more willing to deal with the struggles of a Christmas tree, so I can visit them when I want to get the full Christmas effect. But like me, they hate taking the thing down and lugging it back down to the basement.
One of them came up with a novel solution to the problem. Their Christmas tree transforms into a Seasonal tree, depending on the holidays. The image above is of a Valentine’s Day Tree, complete with hearts, red trim and X’s and O’s. I love this tree, and find myself blown away by the creativity on display. It would have never occurred to me to use the tree to celebrate other holidays; I would have just thrown a garbage bag over it.
It’s made me think about tradition and celebration, and how the “standard” way to celebrate is only so because everyone has done things the same way for so long. But there’s an infinite number of ways to enjoy different holidays, and all they require is a little ingenuity.
Unfortunately, they also require a little effort, and that’s where I get off the carousel. I’ll be visiting my friends to partake in their merriment for a while longer.
