Friday, November 30, 2012

Secret revealed

Hello Sweetie Pie! My name is Charlotte and I am a Christmas Tree Scrooge. Now the truth is out and I feel better.

Before you think the worst of me, I must say that it is not Christmas that I am against.
In fact I love to celebrate the birth of Our Lord, Jesus.



But I get no joy from the hassle of a tree. Sorry, that seems so unAmerican.
Even when I was a little girl, the Christmas Tree was a source of contention. I wanted it to be perfectly  decorated but with so many sisters and brothers participating, it was a real mess. Maybe I was OCD?

When I had my own little family, no one wanted to put up the tree so it fell to me. I just can't get excited over ornaments that I have had for years. Yes, they are pretty, but I hate dragging them out, unwrapping each one... Then you have to rearrange your house to fit the tree.



First put on the lights. As my hands get scratched from the branches, I would persevere until every one had lights. Plug them in and half do not work. Yikes! Why do people do this every year!? LOL It is just not worth it.

Then the day comes when it has to come down and everything put up until next year. No, thanks. Not this time. I will celebrate with a wreath, a nativity scene, church and good Christmas movies.And I will drive around town and see other decorated trees.
 And remember that Jesus is the reason for the season.

Yes, I am a Scrooge when it comes to trees. I make no apologies.


XOXO I hope you are still my friend.

Peace and love of Jesus be with you today and always!


17 comments:

Chatty Crone said...

I agree and I have handed the job to my daughter - if she wants a tree - she has to put it up! lol I want to celebrate Jesus. Sandie

Debbie said...

I'll be your friend. We decided to forego the big tree this year too. There may be some little ones around in the decor, but the big one will stay in the attic. You're right, I'm tired or re-arranging the house to put up the tree. Our empty nest will not host one this year since the little birds won't be home. We'll go to their house and enjoy their trees! :D
Debbie

Suzan said...

Dear Charlotte - You're no Scrooge! I'm in the same boat as you!!
The Christmas Tree on my blog page was a tree we put up three years ago. It was so old, the the plastic pieces that held the fake branches all broke and I had to throw it out. So got a 4ft. tree on sale after Christmas that year. We are going to my Mom's this year, and family will be there- so I'm not putting up a tree. No one to see it this year. I might take out the ceramic tree I made- it's easy to pull out of the box and to put back up- but no tree in this house this year either!!
We need to Bah Hum Bug together!!

Gail Dixon said...

Oh, my dear Charlotte! You crack me up with your honesty. I have had certain years that I did not put up a tree because it IS such a hassle. This year I bought a slim, artificial tree that takes up less room, so I didn't have to do too much rearranging. For about 10 years I have used angels, musical instruments, and fleur de lis, all in gold and red, filling in bare areas with poinsettias. I do enjoy it, but the day after Christmas I'm ready for it to come down. Here in Louisiana, the tradition is to remove the Christmas decorations after it's over and decorate the tree for Mardi Gras. Uh, no, I'm not doing that! LOL Oh, and I don't understand those that put up multiple trees in various rooms. Yikes!

Welcome to the Garden of Egan said...

I'm afraid I agree!
I'm so not in the mood for all the hassle this year!
I have to work the entire weekend before Christmas, Christmas Day and the day after. The whole week is pretty much ruined for me feeling holiday"ish".

None of my kids are coming home. I just want to put out a few items, Christmasy pillows I've made and my Nativity.
I'm all about easy this year.

Nothing at all wrong with it.

Welcome to the Garden of Egan said...

I'm afraid I agree!
I'm so not in the mood for all the hassle this year!
I have to work the entire weekend before Christmas, Christmas Day and the day after. The whole week is pretty much ruined for me feeling holiday"ish".

None of my kids are coming home. I just want to put out a few items, Christmasy pillows I've made and my Nativity.
I'm all about easy this year.

Nothing at all wrong with it.

Unknown said...

Of course I am still your friend!!

I commend you on finding traditions that speak to you. I have always had a love hate relationship with the tree.

As a kid I loved the tree but my mother was so determined to make it look so perfect she would drill holes in the trunk and move branches. Putting on the lights with her was a nightmare. Needless to say this didn't make any good memories. So when we had our first tree I wanted a different experience. For years my husband put the lights on the tree, I just could not do it but I wanted the tree and that worked until a few years ago. He was tired of doingit so we got a fake tree.

I don't like the fake tree so it has sat undecorated a few years ago. But I miss the real tree so I am thinking of getting the tree and doing the lights myself. I think hot chocolate with scnopps should make it fun.
Traci

Optimistic Existentialist said...

What??? I LOVE putting up the tree!! I'm just kidding you of course. I do really love putting up the tree though. But i can definitely see how it would be a hassle. I hope you don't mind, I found you through Chatty Crone's blog. I am now a new follower :)

Donna said...

OMWord!!! I KNEW we were Sister's of Heart!!!Hahaaaa....
IF Only I could get away with it, I'd leave the tree in the box!Hahaa...
Same story here. Alone, putting up the tree...The kids ALWAYS would say "I'll Help" but while the decorating is underway it gets quiet, you look up and they're busy doing Other things!
Oh well, such is life I guess...Just enjoy the day sweetie!!
hughugs

Lisa Gordon said...

Surely still your friend, and as much as I do not like the taking down stuff, I do love my Christmas trees.
xo.

Tammy@Simple Southern Happiness said...

Hum, the LORD is speaking to your heart and mine. I do not have the desire to put one up or any decorations and that is so UNLIKE ME! I usually start Thanksgiving night but nada an urge as crossed my mind. I wonder what is going on? I will remember and that Christ our LORD was born and rejoice that He came to save us from sin.

Karen @ Pieces of Contentment said...

Our tree went up today. It was assembled and was fully decorated by our children within a couple of hours. It's a big tree which we bought 13 years ago, with a variety of homemade and unbreakable bought decorations. The children love the tradition but we keep Jesus as our focus with no Santa. I guess things will change when the children all leave home - but that's a long way off yet.

Rosemary Aubut said...

How true! I use to love to decorate but that has worn off since we moved to FL. I keep it simple now with a few of my handmade santa's and angels! Leaving time to enjoy the true spirit of Christmas! Have a great holiday!

TexWisGirl said...

i've only had a christmas tree a couple of times here in texas. just not the same as in cold, snowy wisconsin. :)

Barbara said...

This made me laugh because when I was growing up we had one of those silver trees with red balls and a rotating light on it. I desperately wanted a real tree that I could hang all of my handmade ornaments on, and paper chains and popcorn chains, etc. Now I have a green artificial one (I'm allergic to real ones, hence the silver one) and I love pulling out all of the old sentimental ornaments every year. My kids complain there are too many. Now, putting them away... I'm not so fond of that. (P.S. My husband puts the lights on for me, thank goodness!)

An Oasis in the Desert said...

I'm not with you on this matter. I love my Christmas tree and all it's colors and sparkles. I wasn't so crazy about real trees once we moved to AZ, because they dried out so fast and just caused a mess with dropping needles. I do, however, adore our new faux tree that is pre-lit and pretty much springs to life without any fluffing of branches. I like having it up for a good long time!

I truly do not think you are a Scrooge, though!

Bill Lisleman said...

I thought I would browse another post up here. Trees are certainly a big and common tradition but times do change. As Barbara S. commented, I also grew up with the silver aluminum one. We had real ones for a few years along with memories of cutting down a few. But the real ones are much more of a hassle and mess. Very glad we settled on an artificial one a few years ago. It's still holding up ok. I'm pretty much in charge of decorating it but this year my wife worked at passing the kids' ornaments on to them (they are all adults)
I enjoyed your post.