‘Twas two days after Christmas,
and all through the house [read: apartment],
two somnambulent beings were stirring;
typing and clicking their mouse…
There’s nothing I like better than a tree around Christmas. Call it a Christmas tree or the politically correct “holiday tree,” this time of year will find me languishing on my sofa beaming at the southern Quebec visitor that has taken up residence in the corner window of the apartment.
This year, as in the last three, the gracious host to a treasure trove of ornaments is a fraser fir. And this year, as in years past, I’ve been lucky enough to enjoy the company of friends at whatr’s become the annual tree trimming party. It’s a tradition I love, as items old and brand new deck the branches in a brand new way.
This year there was no worry about the tree lacking attention below the 3 foot line, as two delightful young ladies made sure that the tree was well decorated in this range. What’s more, they brought new, handmade snowflake ornaments, cut with the utmost care and creativity. (Ones I look forward to stowing away and savouring next year.)
The notable ornament award is shared by another friend of the feminine persuasion who created the most awesome fabric star ornament entirely from scratch. That is, selected the imagery and transferred these onto fabric and sewed what has to be one of the most difficult shapes around — a perfectly symmetrical five-pointed star. Give up that day job!
And I have to declare a tie on the ornaments that caused the biggest nostalgia. On one hand, a harkening of home across the Atlantic in the form of beautiful beaded South African ornaments from Jozi. On the other, a bright a cheery snowman ornament that juxtapositioned with my very oldest ornaments that outdate me by many years: three little jaunty snowmen with pipecleaner canes and pipes, colourful top hats and heads that have a tendency to become detached from their bodies.
And so, two days after Christmas i am starting to face that awful inevitability — taking down the Christmas tree. If it weren’t such a social no-no it might be Christmas all year round in a corner of my home. But I am always heartened by the fact that the New York Sanitation department have Christmas tree pickups scheduled in their calendar well into February. That has to mean that I am at least in the company of others who are either too lazy, or too sentimental, to be done with their firry companions so soon.
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