My cuticles hurt.
My cuticles hurt because I spent 3 hours last night painstakingly stringing Christmas lights onto each and every branch of our ancient (i.e., 1980's) Christmas tree. This involves weaving the lights in and out, in and out, up and down every branch, from the very top to the very bottom.
We string the lights because we don't want one of those new super easy, super convenient pre-lit Christmas trees. Taking the easy way out of Christmas decorating? No, the easy way is usually never the preferred Thames method. This character trait was established centuries ago, when my great-great-great-however many greats-grandfather Friendly's parents decided to name him Friendly. Yeah.
We don't want a pre-lit tree because we have an extensive collection of Hallmark ornaments, dating all the way back to whenI was born--and some from before. Many of these ornaments are heavy, or long, or bulky--they would weigh down those wimpy, bushy, new-fangled pre-lit trees or a real tree. Our tree is strong--it is essentially metal wires with some plastic greenery on them. It can hold ANYTHING. So no matter how time-saving and stress-free a new pre-lit tree would be, we could never replace Old Faithful. (Or Sir Sheds-a-lot. Seriously, one day there will be no plastic needles left.)
We have an extensive collection of Hallmark ornaments because each year we collect them represents a new year that the Thames family celebrates Christmas together. The Holiday Barbie ornaments that were my very favorites growing up. The funny Winnie the Pooh ornaments that are my Mom's favorite. The FSU ornaments that Dad collected every football season. The Office ornament that Brandon bought to go on the tree. That Peanuts bulb with Snoopy and Woodstock ice skating that I took a bite out of when I was little. (This event, by the way, is totally caught on camera because my mom was too busy trying to take the perfect Christmas card picture to realize that I was about to eat glass. I looked for those pictures last night, but they mysteriously vanished from their album...)
So my cuticles hurt. But it's for Snoopy. And for Piglet. And for another year of Christmas together as a family, staring at the twinkling lights of a very perfect tree. That has most of it's needles.
Christmas the year I bit the Snoopy ornament:
My cuticles hurt because I spent 3 hours last night painstakingly stringing Christmas lights onto each and every branch of our ancient (i.e., 1980's) Christmas tree. This involves weaving the lights in and out, in and out, up and down every branch, from the very top to the very bottom.
We have an extensive collection of Hallmark ornaments because each year we collect them represents a new year that the Thames family celebrates Christmas together. The Holiday Barbie ornaments that were my very favorites growing up. The funny Winnie the Pooh ornaments that are my Mom's favorite. The FSU ornaments that Dad collected every football season. The Office ornament that Brandon bought to go on the tree. That Peanuts bulb with Snoopy and Woodstock ice skating that I took a bite out of when I was little. (This event, by the way, is totally caught on camera because my mom was too busy trying to take the perfect Christmas card picture to realize that I was about to eat glass. I looked for those pictures last night, but they mysteriously vanished from their album...)
So my cuticles hurt. But it's for Snoopy. And for Piglet. And for another year of Christmas together as a family, staring at the twinkling lights of a very perfect tree. That has most of it's needles.
Christmas the year I bit the Snoopy ornament:
aww! i love that you love your old tree. I think its beautiful and full of life - which makes it even more special. I also think you were a super cutie when you were little. I don't fault your mom for almost letting you eat glass. Anna Lee did the same thing this past weekend. I looked down and she had christmas lights in her mouth. Those little people move fast! Merry Christmas, Thames family! Your tree is wonderful!
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