Merry Christmas chat! (believe, Earth, bless, hospital)

[june 7th]

Trust me folks, the title of this post is about as close to the truth as humanly possible!

My tree is still not done!

The one "hard and fast" family tradition in my family growing up was that the Christmas tree did not go up until Christmas Eve. (A German "tradition" as I understand it.) So low and behold, starting around 6:00 this evening, my son and I began to "do the tree." Let it suffice to say, there's nothing like a 30 pound fur tree that suddenly decides to topple over, fully decorated! Needless to say, nearly three hours later, the tree is up, (leaning, but hey, it's standing!) and my son if off with his father and relatives. I still need to finish decorating it...And clean up the broken ornaments that didn't survive the crash!

--So June is here, glass of wine in hand, relaxing! I need a break from that tree. I feel as though it's about to attack me every time I look at it, leaning in my direction!

So I'll be on and off here tonight...The upshot is the I'm lovin' this whole white, snowy Christmas outside my window, and basking in the warmth within!

Glad you're all here!

[june 7th]

Originally Posted by Travelling fella

I can board a plane to be together again with the love of my life!!!!

Now this just melts my June 7th heart! There's nothing like love to make this Season bright!

I'm happy for you, Travelling fella! Have a good flight!

[Huckleberry3911948]

[IMG]http://render-2.snapfish.com/render2/is=Yup6aQQ%7C%3Dup6RKKt%3Axxr%3D0-qpDPfRt7Pf7mrPfrj7t%3DzrRfDUX%3AeQaQxg%3Dr%3F87KR6 xqpxQPQQxQPlxeaaxv8uOc5xQQQGPePaGelenqpfVtB%3F*KUp 7BHSHqqy7XH6gX0QQ0P%7CRup6enQ%7C/of=50,448,443[/IMG]

i appear to have made an error in copying this painting. sorry.

[Huckleberry3911948]

i think i got it posted. a christmas scene done in asumie (japanese brush painting)
you can click to enlarge.

[bingo08]

Originally Posted by june 7th

Trust me folks, the title of this post is about as close to the truth as humanly possible!

My tree is still not done!

The one "hard and fast" family tradition in my family growing up was that the Christmas tree did not go up until Christmas Eve. (A German "tradition" as I understand it.) So low and behold, starting around 6:00 this evening, my son and I began to "do the tree." Let it suffice to say, there's nothing like a 30 pound fur tree that suddenly decides to topple over, fully decorated! Needless to say, nearly three hours later, the tree is up, (leaning, but hey, it's standing!) and my son if off with his father and relatives. I still need to finish decorating it...And clean up the broken ornaments that didn't survive the crash!

--So June is here, glass of wine in hand, relaxing! I need a break from that tree. I feel as though it's about to attack me every time I look at it, leaning in my direction!

So I'll be on and off here tonight...The upshot is the I'm lovin' this whole white, snowy Christmas outside my window, and basking in the warmth within!

Glad you're all here!

Just a lil curious, why x-mas eve for the tree? When do you take it down? A lot of work for so lil time to enjoy it.

[june 7th]

Originally Posted by bingo08

Just a lil curious, why x-mas eve for the tree? When do you take it down? A lot of work for so lil time to enjoy it.

Hi Bingo!

You know, all the time when I was growing up, I asked the same thing!

All I can tell you is that it was a very "hard and fast" tradition in my family growing up. For whatever reason, one of my parents had always had this "tradition" of not putting the tree up until Christmas Eve. Everyone on that side of the family did the exact same thing, and I remember thinking it was so odd, as all my friend's families put their trees up waaaaay before we did...

However, now once I became a parent myself, it became an inherited tradition for me, as well...I sort of cherish that. It wasn't until I was an adult that I found out that it is a German tradition to not put the Christmas tree up until Christmas Eve. --But oddly enough, I don't think my family was actually aware of the fact that they were doing that due to any sort of ethnic/cultural tradition! --It was just something that more than likely filtered down through the generations; a "tradition" that was adhered to because that was how it was always done...Unknowlingly, a very ethnic tradition.

The tree comes down on New Year's Day.

Take gentle Christmas care.

[aiangel_writer]

I have seen this in many movies and read it in many books but alas, my family tradition is to put that sucker up as soon as the mood strikes... My mom always put hers up Thanksgiving holiday, she loaded the trees to where we wondered if we needed to anchor them to the wall so they would not topple over. Alas, she had one that fell two years ago in her restaurant. SHe puts up three in her house, and three or four in the restaurant. Anyway, that was our tradition until my second son was born. I wanted the tree to be up by HIS birthday, since it was for the first sons who has a birthday in Dec. My second son's birthday is in Nov, the 9th to be exact, so my tree goes up the first week in November!

I know, my dh tells me every year this is crazy, but hey, I get to enjoy it a long time, good thing I use artificial now. I do not decorate the living room until December though. My tree is in my dining room.

All is quiet here now. Oldest went home, dh to bed and youngest off to his room to play his xbox and brother in law watching tv. I pretty much finished with the kitchen so have a small amount of computer time.

June, just anchor that tree to the wall with some twine, it'll hold that sucker! speaking from experience...lol

[Deb in VA]

Originally Posted by june 7th

Trust me folks, the title of this post is about as close to the truth as humanly possible!

My tree is still not done!

The one "hard and fast" family tradition in my family growing up was that the Christmas tree did not go up until Christmas Eve. (A German "tradition" as I understand it.) So low and behold, starting around 6:00 this evening, my son and I began to "do the tree." Let it suffice to say, there's nothing like a 30 pound fur tree that suddenly decides to topple over, fully decorated! Needless to say, nearly three hours later, the tree is up, (leaning, but hey, it's standing!) and my son if off with his father and relatives. I still need to finish decorating it...And clean up the broken ornaments that didn't survive the crash!

--So June is here, glass of wine in hand, relaxing! I need a break from that tree. I feel as though it's about to attack me every time I look at it, leaning in my direction!

So I'll be on and off here tonight...The upshot is the I'm lovin' this whole white, snowy Christmas outside my window, and basking in the warmth within!

Glad you're all here!

My grandparents were German and according to my mom their tradition was that Santa brought the tree with him on Christmas Eve. So she knows that her parents were more than likely up all night long setting up the tree and decorating it. Also, Grandpa was a perfectionist and would actually cut off branches that didn't look quite right and drill holes and stick them in other places on the tree so they would have a perfectly shaped tree! How would you like to have to keep up with that tradition June? Anyway, glad to hear you have the tree back up and are able to relax now and have a glass of wine.

[Travelling fella]

To all my dear brothers!!

Thank you from the bottom of my soul for your kind and sincere wishes.

Much light, peace, love, harmony, strenght, success, wisdom and eternal blessings!!!

And a huge OOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMM that expands through the cosmos infinitely!

Boom yoga!

[june 7th]

Originally Posted by aiangel_writer

June, just anchor that tree to the wall with some twine, it'll hold that sucker! speaking from experience...lol

My dear, trust me, June hears ya!

After about an hour and a half of wrestling with "the tree," I told my son we had two options:

To either just give up, and take the darn thing (fully decorated!) and haul it out to the back porch and just give up,

-or-

To find a way to "rope it" and secure it with some twine to the wall!

However, the ever tenacious "Big, bad, bionic, college boy" (God, but I love the kid to death!) was the one who said "Mom, this tree is going up! Don't worry about it!" --And low and behold, it's still standing!!!!

--Leaning perilously close to falling on Mom, but still standing!

Thank god for ever tenacious sons!

(Let's just hope the thing is still standing in the morning, and that it hasn't fallen on, and crushed all his presents!)