Christmas tree catastrophes

Tis the season to have a tree in ones house!! So, this year Adam decided that we would get our tree early (15 days before Christmas). This has a tale behind it which I will quickly relate. You see last year, we were hosting Christmas for the masses and out Adam went with the sunfire in an ice storm three days before Christmas to find a tree to celebrate our son's first Christmas. Low and behold (and much to only Adam's surprise) there were no trees to be found. Now when I say no trees, obviously there were trees as Adam pointed out this is land of endless evergreens, but rather there were none available for purchase. Finally, he managed to travel to the next town (no mean feat given the balding tires and ice storm in progress) and found a tree. One of the last I might add. The journey home with hand out the window holding the tree in place while snow and ice blew a gale proved to be too much for the poor sunfire which then got stuck in the snow thanks to the distracted driver. Finally, Daddy arrived home with a beautiful tree and Christmas was saved!
So, back to this year. In an effort to avoid such hazards Adam opted to find the tree early. This time he only had to head as far as the Goderich Mall (makes Cambridge's one hall mall look like the Eaton Center!!). Now, there are some trees there on display with branches out and looking lovely (or not) but my ever practical darling husband opted for the bound tree thinking that this was a much better choice as it could then easily fit inside the car (having only just gotten over the frostbite from last years escapades). However, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out which trees would likely be bound. Not the beautiful, perfectly shaped tree in all the Martha stewart/Goodhousekeeping magazines. No why would those trees be bound. Upon arriving home and unpacking the tree from the vehicle. The tree was brought into the front room for display. Upon unbinding (if that is a word) half the tree fell on the floor in clumps of dried, brown pines which lead to endless repetition of "uh oh tee" by one 18month old (whom I might add was very helpful in the whole tree decorating event as he swept up all the brown pines and put them back in the tree for us!). A "Robin redbreast" (known to most of us simply as "Robins") fell with a thud to the floor (that is some narrative license as this didn't really happen but, from the state of the tree we were expecting it). Not only did the tree have very sparse boughs (most of which was a shade of brown rather then green) but also the trunk had a very unnatural curve! Suffice it to say, we have the Charlie Brown of Christmas trees, the Scamp of the dog world!!
Adam quickly set about erecting the tree (with "help" of course) which took an enormous amount of time owing to the bowed trunk. We have thus decided that anyone celebrating Christmas at the Hawley household must either stand on one leg with head tilted to the left or be sufficiently drunk as to think the tree is straight (BYOB!!). That was enough for one night and so, the star was mounted atop the tree...and to bed.
THE NEXT DAY... no believe it or not the tree was still standing (if you can call the leaning tree of Quebec Street standing)...let the decorating begin! First, find the lights...oh yes, we borrowed lights last year from Nanny and Grandad....thus, off to the store in search of white lights on a green cord! Would you believe there were 80 boxes of green, red or blue lights on green cords but do you think there was one box of white lights on a green cord -apparently not! Off Adam and Ollie trekked (it was now a mission) none at Zehrs, none at Canadian Tire, none at ZEllers (we of course "skipped checking at Walmart on principle) and alas there were three boxes of outdoor white lights on a green cord for triple the price at Home Hardware (but apparently all was not lost as they had an amazing "scale electrics" display!). Upon returning with the new lights the packages were opened and plugged in to find that only half the bulbs were in working order. Fortunately, Ollie had found that they had included a little two pack of bulbs as replacements which he was now running off behind the couch with Dad in tow!! The replacement lights in the white light boxes however, are red!! Handy that!! Anyway, with Dad being the A1 electrician that he is...all lights werefixed...however, after 10 mins of trying to put the lights on the tree with Ollie helping it was decided that lighting the tree was a "while children are sleeping job". Thus, day two passes and the "tee" remains semi-upright with only a star on top for decorations!
DAY 3....Dad has a day off so, the tree is going to be completed!!! Once the children are safely in bed for a nap. The lights go on....the three boxes of beads (measuring 3m each for the 8ft tree) managed to adorn the upper eighth of the tree...so, off to the store (again) for more beads. Fortunately, on the earlier store trip note was made of the available decorations in town so, one visit was all that was necessary. Off to Zehrs for 4 boxes of 30m beads. Now, I don't know if any of you know what a pain in the neck those beads are (I know Nanny Banny does) so, soon the boxes of beads are opened and there Adam spends the next 2hours on the floor untangling the beads. There needs to be a happy medium in the world of boxed beads...enough in the box to cover the tree, but not enough to create the tangled mess that was our living room floor for most of the evening!! Alas, as of 22:00 (well past my bedtime) the tree was complete!
DAY 4: Ollie is up (before the sun) so lights are on and the "tee" can be viewed in all its finished glory with the "Baubles, beads and lights"...but for how long??? Ollie apparently came to the breakfast table with four "balls" in his hands (fortunately, IKEA christmas decorations are plastic...and bounce really well, and respond quite well to being kicked)...the beads have remained on the upper eighth of the tree however, the lower parts were subjected to the Ollweiser who decided that it was great fun (while Mum is busy breastfeeding and therefore, defenceless) to grab the beads and run around the room!! A decision has been made that the bottom third of the trees boughs will be hacked off...it will likely be necessary anyway since Nannie Carol is coming for Christmas and likely will singlehandedly fill all the space beneath the tree with the contents of just one of her three large suitcases!!
And that dear friends is the story of Christmas Present at the Hawley/Halligan household!! Here are a few pics of the epic event!!
Happy Christmas to all!!
Love
Rachael, Adam, Ollie and Emma..
oh one last thing...at daycare I was telling the women about the escapades at home re: the Crimbo tree and the decision to only decorate the upper third of the tree in years to come....that days craft was to decorate a paper Christmas tree...Ollie must have overheard the conversation and let his disapproval be known thru the art medium...when he handed in his completed Christmas tree...only the lower two thirds were decorated!!!