Preparing for Christmas

               

In France Christmas begins on Christmas Eve and continues twelve days until Epiphany. The moment before Christmas is called Advent. A time to prepare the way for Christmas.   

Growing up my Mom took Christmas down on the 26th. Christmas was a done deal. Packed up and stored in the closet until next year.

Lucky for me I was not considered "late" (in France) to put up our  Christmas tree this weekend. It is a production to put up a Christmas tree, isn't it? First one must find the Christmas boxes that are stashed in the storage. Secondly, since our Christmas tree stands in a spot that usually occupies a large piece of furniture, the entire house had to be moved around so that it had its spot. The part that I enjoy is putting on the lights and the ornaments which is lucky for me because in our home the tradition is that nobody wants to help... everyone wants Christmas they just don't want to put it up.

Well, this weekend after the Christmas tree was up with its million little vintage ornaments I stepped back singing "Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree how lovely are your branches...." when POW (!!!) the Christmas tree fell over. Smashing mercury glass ornaments everywhere. My heart sank. I was sad to sweep the broken ornaments into the bin.

Slowly, I remounted the Christmas tree and reconstructed the decor. Adding a bow here, a star there and feeling a tinge of sadness that some of my favorite ornaments had been smashed to smithereens. Finally, it was dolled up and looking festive again. I was relieved. I stepped back and...guess what... yes believe it... it fell a second time!

I swore like a crazy elf! A million little swear words sorted out of my bouche (mouth) and it felt good. I called the Christmas tree a really bad word. One that I do not want to write but I said it fervently a few times over. You know sometimes it helps to blow up, to spew bad words and let your face get contorted. It helps to let frustrations out is a safe way. I guess the Christmas tree's falling over allowed me an avenue to blow off steam.

I left the "F-ing" Christmas tree on the floor. French husband and the children came home and looked at it. "Mom, why is the Christmas tree on the floor?"

Modern Art is what I said.

This morning I put the Christmas tree upright and it is standing strong, a few bricks at the base helped.

Yes, even people who once lived in a monastery do swear at times, even while preparing for Christmas.

Photo: The tree that better think twice before falling again.

Comments

[Jeanne]

Oh Christmas Tree
Oh Christmas Tree
How beautiful you look to me.
Fabulous!
I love you
We need a little Christmas right this very minute.
Love you Jeanne ^j^

[Lee]

Modern art, indeed! Lovely tree though. Reminds me - I had better try to find one before Margaret, the wandering Scot, returns.

[Marie-Noëlle]

This happened to me 2 years ago, Corey!
Our Christmas tree fell twice too... and that moment of pure joy became an exhausting
nightmare...

[eb]

oh - love this!

we have the same furniture issues - so often our tree doesn't go up until the last minute - and then we leave it up for a couple of weeks until it is getting dry and the needles are dropping...

there have been times when the cat climbed the tree...

and times when ours almost tipped over too -
VT husband now creates an attachment to the ceiling - so far so good...

so sad about the ornaments - the old ones are the best - altho we now usually cut dozens of lacy paper snowflakes and they are very pretty against the dark green - but for me Corey - it is the twinkling lights - especially at night - I often get up just to see the lights - we leave them on like a night light - so pretty reflecting in the windows...

happy Christmas preparing...

xox - eb.

[Maddy]

Oh no that is so sad that you lost some trimmings, they are like losing memories. Your tree looks lovely know though.

[Michelle]

So sorry to hear you lost ornaments! I've had a similar accident and was just heartbroken. Still kind of am. Yes, I know they're just "things," but when there's so many memories attached...*sigh*

Anyway, I think it's only right that you threaten the tree. It asked for it ;)

[jeni]

I can totally relate. I'm the Christmas Elf at our house. Sorry about the tree, but it look beautiful still.

Have yourself a merry little Christmas, may your heart be glad.

[My Melange]

Dang tree! It had it coming!! Doesn't it know how sweet you are???? We still decorate my Mom's tree as a tradition. I too hate breaking an ornament, especially if it is my favorite :(

[Beverly]

HA! Modern art!!! I love your stories!

We share some traditions...I put the tree up while the rest of the family enjoys the benefits! And, yes, I've had a tree fall over! (The three kids were stretched out on the floor watching a Christmas movie while I decorated the tree...and yes, the tree fell on them!)

Your tree certainly look beautiful now!

[Mari-Nanci]

Dear Corey, you have no idea how happy it makes me to know that you too can dip deeply into vulgarity! -giggggles- And yes, at certain times, it is helpful to vent. Imagine if we kept all our frustrations inside, all the time. Eeeek! Surely we would eventually explode! ,-)

Happy Christmas to you and yours!

Mari-Nanci

[Pauline]

"To be able to love material things, to clothe them with tender grace, and yet not be attached to them, this is a great service," said Rabindranath Tagore, but I have not attained that wisdom yet either. I am sorry you lost so many of your Christmas ornaments and yet that tree gave you an opportunity to practice swearing ;)

[Mari-Nanci]

And I do believe I will use this "purrrrrfect" opportunity to say ~

I always read here. I don't always leave a comment here.

Because "F-ing" TypeKey will not store my info. So I have to go and copy my Profile Page URL and paste it in, each and every time I comment. Eeeek! And you know that 'Eeek' substitutes for lots of other "words," which your gentle readers would blanch at. >,-)

Mari-Nanci

[le petit cabinet de curiosites]

Wonderful story . may be next year I will be inspired by this modern art christmas tree ..I can't wait to see your "vintage" christmas tree

[Darla]

The Christmas tree whispered to me that you made this whole story up. I mean how could it still look so pretty after all that?

Sad about the ornaments tho.

Darla

[delphine]

Lovely tree! (we always kept ours up until the day after New Year's). And I love that you swear once and a while...monastery or not ;)
delphine

[Candy]

You crack me up!! Modern Art!! I love it. Great story. Thanks for telling us and being really honest about it. Wow. I just got mail and it was you leaving me a comment on my blog. How cool is that??

[pusa]

what a lovely tree you've prepared, even if it fell twice!!! cant help but smile when i read that you swore =)

[tut-tut]

And that is the reason why, at my house, all the old ornaments live in their boxes, and only unbreakable ones make it onto the tree!

[Shannon]

Corey, of course you start swearing like a crazy elf when I'm not around.

I feel bad that your favorite ornaments were smashed, but didn't saying the F-word feel sooo goood ;)

[Sheba]

Death to the evil tree, I say!

[Melissa]

No, no, no, I'm not laughing, no. Tears of laughter are NOT running down my face, not a single one! Not at the loss of ornaments, that is indeed a tragedy, but at the last part about the swearing. Merry, Merry Christmas and a joyful noel!

[Cynthia]

Ahhh.....I've been calling my cats the F-word...they refuse to stay out of the Christmas tree and continue to break some of my favorite ornaments.
Last year they broke my "Our first Christmas" ornament. I'd had that for 28 years. It was a sorry looking thing that had peeling and chipping which only hinted at it's former beauty. Still it was my favorite. I'm sorry you lost some of your cherished baubles.

[Paula]

Been there, done that !

Merry Christmas Corey

[Paula]

Been there, done that !

Merry Christmas Corey

[Kris]

In these trying circumstances, I wonder if you swear only in English? I can imagine a mix of b..... de m.... f...... tree enfant de p..... but what is the most spontaneous?:-)

[tommie]

I am still wondering what a crazy elf swears like! Is the base of the tree a pot wrapped in rope?

[shannon in oregon]

But what I want to know is...

did you swear in English or French? :)

[martina]

Corey-don't look upon it as losing some favorite ornaments. It is an opportunity to go out and buy some new/vintage ornaments! My question is this..why do wine glasses break while you wash them but never while you are using them? Lovely tree-hope it stays balanced.

[Di Overton]

"F-ing" Christmas Tree is tame in the circumstances - twice it fell? Only you could find humour in that. Bravo Corey

[Lorene]

Corey,

Oh my! I don't blame you for saying a few choice words to the tree after it fell the second time. I felt your pain when you said that your favorite ornaments were smashed to pieces. I put my tree up yesterday too. Luckily my tree didn't fall over. But I had an eager 5 year old helping me. And it is just as nerve racking. I was constantly telling her "don't break my ornaments!" She was climbing the step stool with them! All in all nothing broke, the tree looks pretty and I was glad to have the help. Just like at your house nobody wants to help so I do it by myself. Thanks for sharing your story and I hope your tree stays upright!

Lorene

[Passementerie]

Oh no! How completely heartbreaking! I would definitely have left it there too, sworn for a bit, had a cry, followed by a glass of wine and maybe a bath. One can never overdo the sort of outrage one feels when something happens that you couldn't have helped and - worse - isn't anybody else's fault.

[Jill]

O dear! Yes... it has happened to me as well. A couple of bricks... some duct tape stuck to the wood floor.... just don't breathe when walking past the tree! Yours looks so lovely... sorry about the broken ornaments... I would have shared some choice words too!
Thanks for stopping by....
Merry Christmas!
Jill

[Dana Smith]

We anchor our's to the window casing with clear fishing line after the exact same thing happened to us a few years ago!!
Your tree is lovely!

Dana in Virginia

[Jeanette]

Well I would of been cussing too! Our tree didn't fall, but last night I took the light off 3 times before they were right the first time it was the wrong light cords(second plugs didn't met)so I had to find the other light but could only find 2 boxes. Steve is out of town for the night when he called he tells me go look again and will call back in an hour. Thinking I just looked for 15 minutes do you think the lights are going to appear out of thin air....so I go and look again guess what appearred out of thin air! The lights were right next to the other ones I just grabbed. I got the lights on, by the time I got the lights on it was bathtime for the girls then herd them off bed. So the tree is dressed only in twinkling lights waiting for the rest of her jewerly to be added, so she can then show off her beauty to all the passerbyer that glance in the window at her. Little does she know that most people don't look any further then the advent wreath and navity scene in the front yard. But that is our secret.

[Travelingmama]

You made me laugh so hard! I love the idea of modern art! You should copyright it! Seriously, who would have thought it would be "in" to turn your tree upside down?! Well, in spite of being a little tipsy (gotta watch out for those fake ones!) your tree looks lovely!

[Sue McG]

ROFLOL Corey, I think you showed a considerable amount of restraint under the circumstances :) Your tree looks just lovely now!

You may need to visit my blog today - peaceful doorways in Harmony, CA - perhaps you've been there?

[Sandy]

Oh my, what an ordeal! Every year I usually drop & break one glass ornament but the whole tree falling over, yikes. I'm so sorry about your special ornaments. Maybe you need a new tree stand : )

[heather]

oh, so sad!! and frustrating - i don't blame you for swearing. our tree got finished last night. decorating is so much fun, just me and my husband. he tires out before i do, but i love putting up the ornaments and the surprise of the ones you forgot you had. like old friends hiding in a box.

[Jenny]

lol...How something so lovely can be so frustrating...your tree is a masterpiece and I'm sure DaVinci cussed like a sailor at times.

[shelley noble]

It's a beautiful tree, as are you, beautiful, not a f*$%^$ing tree. Tee hee!

[nancy]

oh I swore before I saw that you wrote you swore...(a little quiet f*ck to myself). ;)
oh but the tree looks lovely.
nancy

[Jill]

I know just how you feel. Last year my cat climbed into the tree and the whole thing tipped over. Today I heard the tree jingling, so I ran to see and sure enough there she was again, inside! This year the tree is small so I don't think it can fall over. At least I hope not - that cat won't learn a lesson.

[beachy]

Oh dear Corey! We've had a tumbling tree before too, so I know how sad it is to have to pick up broken ornaments! My father used to have a little hook screwed into the wainscoting at our old house, and I never knew why. It was to hook the Christmas tree up with a little rope attached so my baby brother and I wouldn't knock the tree over! lol

[Anne]

Oh, Corey, I got tears in my eyes when I read about your precious ornaments. I hurt for you. I've dropped ornaments and watched them fall and shatter and it is heart-breaking. I was so upset about one special ornament that I saved the shards in a box for a few years.
A dear friend had a horrid experience one year when she opened the box of heirloom ornaments and found trash and cigarette butts - she'd thrown away the box of ornaments and saved the box of trash.
Sometimes God has some really harsh ways of teaching us not to become too attached to material goods.

[carolyn]

Hah Corey I had the same problem last year with the bloody tree refusing to stand up. The children have suggested a new Christmas Tree stand this year. We don't put the tree up until Christmas Eve and it ALWAYS, ALWAYS stays for the full 12 days it's the way it was when I was a child but more and more people seem to be starting earlier and then getting rid of the decorations just after Christmas here in England. I think it's a shame.
On the first day of Christmas my truelove sent to me a Partridge in a Pear Tree
On the second day .........
Like to do the full 12!

[susanna]

Oh noooo, Corey! That totally sucks that you lost a few of your favourite ornaments. I'd be swearing, too. BUT you did manage to put together a gorgeous Christmas tree after all that crashing. You're a talented, swearing, Christmas tree elf!

[Ria]

Wow Corey your tree is beautiful!
How awful that it fell...and twice!! I can't say I blame you for swearing!
I love the 'Modern Art' comment :P What a good thing you still have a sense of humour!
xxx

[Lilly]

So, so sorry about your lost ornaments. I know how you feel. The only thing to do is to pick the f-ing tree up again, and again... My dad once fell into the tree from atop a ladder when he reached too far to put the star on top. I think it's our most memorable and funny Christmas tree story.

[maria]

OMG, Corey! Is it possible your tree fell over at the same exact mine did last night??!!In 20 years this never happened, not even when kids were toddlers. I lost at least 3 dozen ornaments, many of them vintage.
I must say I was unusually calm in the aftermath while husband was kicking himself for not tying the top to the window trim.
When I saw your pic of the tree in the basket I thought, "Good idea, I bet that can't fall..."
Just think, there are still many vintage ornaments in the world--and you and I must now buy them all......
-maria

[Bethany]

Oh I'm soo sorry to hear about that "bad old tree" and it's ruining of your beloved ornaments! Ugh...I can bet you must have been really upset!!
The tree looks just amazing, though, I have to say :)
~Hope you have a wonderful Christmas~

[Mo'a]

The first time I put up our Christmas tree with all the antique ornaments my Mother-in-law had just given me, our new kitten pulled the tree down while we were at a Christmas party...many beautiful ornaments lost :(
About 5 years later I again pulled out all the lovely antique ornaments, another new little kitten found them facinating and made toys out of the best and most beautiful ones...many broke as kitten aimed for the fireplace.
This year I will again use the antique ornaments...my husbands comment when I told him, was..."Where are you hiding the new kitten?"
Note: Each year I decorate our tree with different theme and ornaments...I am a slave to Christmas and love to buy and make Christmas ornaments :)

[Rosemary]

OMG Corey,
I can't believe it happened twice. I am so sorry about your vintage ornaments.
I wish I could help somehow.
I would have been saying those choice words right along with you.
I hope it didn't ruin Christmas for you.
Rosemary

[robyn]

that's a great story, thank you :) how lovely are thy branches...

[Amy]

Dang it, Corey! I was calmly sipping my soda while reading your entry and got to the part about you swearing at the tree and had a ::choke or spew:: moment. ROFL Carbonated soda up the nose....it burns a bit...

We put our tree up this weekend, and we keep it up til January 7th. (January 6th is my birthday so it's an extra special day for me)

[Mary]

For what it's worth Corey, you are not alone! My wonderful art pal/friend in Washington State had her tree fall over yesterday just after completing the decorating. She wished to be 7 again so she could throw a temper tantrum! Tree toppling must be in vogue this season!

Don't blame you cursing - especially when losing your lovely ornaments!

[Hasmin]

Corey, sorry about your ornaments...but I've got to say, you made me laugh today. MODERN ART!!! you're killing me...LOL!

I've always made it a point to put up our Christmas tree on Thanksgiving, and then down after New Year's Day, but with my track record, the tree usually stays up a couple of days after New Year's. :-)

P.S. Your Christmas tree is precious.

[stljoie]

Modern art...snort snort choke
How awful, I bet each lost ornament had a story.

[Linda]

I didn't want to get a tree this year but my husband insisted. Guess who decorated it-after buying all of the decorations-by herself. That's right. That's why I didn't want to get a tree. Bah, humbug.

[rel]

Corey,
You are priceless....I'll be smiling all day long now!
rel

[Kitem]

This is what I call LAUGHING OUT LOUD even though I wouldn't have like my christmas tree as a piece of modern art in the middle of the living room.

[Nora]

I would've used a bad word also, Corey. Maybe two bad words. ;)

[judypatooote]

That is hysterical...you poor thing....and it is sad to loose ornament if they are old... and I think you would be a person who loved antique ornaments....twice..wow...
My daughter a couple of years ago had a live tree with old ornaments, some my moms and her mother in laws, and her hubby was under tree putting water in it, and it fell over on top of him...all the old ornament broke and she was in tears picking them up trying to save some, and he's under the tree yelling, hey, could you please take this tree off of me.....LOL funny she forgot all about him..... well your tree looks beautiful now....judy

[Massilianana]

Corey ,
Sorry for the vintage ornaments , I know how you feel . But , well done on the bad words ! A guy I know here in Brazil told me he thought people who say bad words seem happier than the others , to him ! To me , it makes sense (whispering : I use the "p....." word myself quite regularly ...).Anyway , there are two books (in French- en poche 10/18) you might find interesting , both by Robert EDOUARD :" Dictionnaire des injures" and "Traité d'injurologie" .They are wittingly written , very interesting and you will dramatically improve your french vocabulary ...;-)

[meredith]

I would be capaable of spanking a naughty tree like that. How dare he tip over twice!

[Diogenes]

Corey, this post made me laugh out loud!

Thanks for that...and this iteration of your tree is beautiful!

[annieelf]

Oh no. Mother of God, this is awful. All the history smashed. All the effort to re-create the tree and regaining your composure. All of it smashed again. I would have cried my eyes out. (actually did that once Corey re: a breaking item but that's another story). Your thrice resurrected tree is beautiful but next year, sweetie, getta rope!!!

[Dorian Fletcher]

Corey, this made me so sad for your loss of the treasures - but made me laugh out loud with your description of your swearing! I know the feeling! It's a great release, isn't it?

[Mrs.Staggs]

Oh gosh Corey, I know just how you feel. One year when I was ill, the Misters Staggs brought me home the biggest Christmas tree they could find. We have tall ceilings,and it reached all the way to the tippy top. Tippy, being the key word here. That tree fell three times until it was finally wired to the wall. Timber! I lost so many ornaments that year. Some very special ones, but the look on my guys faces when they brought home that great big tree for me, is what I remember the most. They were so hoping to delight me, and they truly did. That didn't stop me from havin' a bit of a cry though. I guess that's the way I let off steam. I just let it all out!

[Mrs.Staggs]

P.S. Your tree is so beautiful!

[Alison Whittington]

Ah, Corey, I am laughing so hard and my eyes are watering and I oh-so-love laughing like that. Thank you! (Never in a million years could I have imagined you swearing, but somehow it just makes you even more wonderful.) And your tree is stunning!

[marita]

LOL!!!
puttin'it back up three times in a row...
haha! corey!!
yet i'm sorry you've lost some of your beloved ornaments...
would have loved to help with your tree!
it's standing firm and proud now, lasting and enjoying it's place in your home.

[Bejeweled]

I would have said some bad words too :)

Sorry your tree was so temperamental and that you lost so many cherished ornaments. I've never had a tree tip over or a feline "assist" it in tipping over, but it would be heartbreaking to lose some of the fragile ornaments my children have made. What patience and fortitude you have to keep putting that pesky tree back up until it stayed put.

[Gillian]

Corey
I would have swore like a crazy elf the first time!
I am not restrained with my verbage!
So glad the beautiful tree finally stayed up for you.
xo
Gillian

[Ann@ HolyExperience]

You are LOVED, Corey... always.
I am very, very sorry about the tree, my friend... all is well and all is well and all manner of things are well... in the end. No matter what.

[keith hillman]

I wasn't sure whether I was allowed to laugh or not! After all, your ornaments obviously meant a lot to you. But I did!

[Kit]

It looks such a demure and smart little tree, like butter wouldn't melt! I hope it's not plotting another great leap.

We only go and cut our tree on the Saturday before Christmas, that's part of our tradition now - choosing a tree, hopefully one that will fit in the house and cutting it down, carting it back and then all decorating together. It stays up till the 6th, just like in France.

[fleur]

Words of frustration not aimed at anybody are hardly the worst of sins, I think. That's also where being bi or multi lingual comes in handy. :-)
This year our tree went up without a hitch-- the first time ever. Couldn't believe it!

[Suzanne]

Totally, completely and, oh SO much:

LLL - OOO - LLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Marva Plummer-Bruno]

Oh Corey - I'm so sorry about your vintage ornaments. Bummer. I loved your "Modern art" remark though! :) Marva

[Tumblewords]

Ouch. I hate when that happens...the only good part is getting to scream at an inanimate object! Nice post and beautiful tree!

[jadey]

I guess it just happened to be one of those moments. I am glad that your tree is standing all pretty now and is redecorated.

[tinker]

Oh Corey! I don't know whether to laugh or cry for you...I have had that happen before - a couple of times, it was the $@!-ing cat that knocked it over - I was so sad when my baby ornament broke, sigh. C'est la vie...
Your tree looks beautiful though - and if it knows what is good for it, I think it will stay in one place now! ((hugs))

[Irene]

This is a very beautiful tree, Corey. Perhaps God wanted to signal to you that it was time to play some detachemnt game, a time to look for new traditions and new memories to add to your festivities.
I love this tree. It reminds me of caramel and chocolate wraps.
Enjoy it.

[Melissa]

Awww, you poor thing! That's crazy that it feel down a 2nd time!
I really shouldn't be laughing but the way you wrote the story was so funny! =)
I'm glad it's staning strong now, it looks so beautiful!

[Tamara Giselle]

I feel for you. I could have told this story myself, although mine fell after Christmas and when it fell the second time it was modern art in a trash can. The sad part was that the only ornaments that broke were ornaments that had been my mother's who had just passed away 4 mo's before Christmas. One german glass santa face was only broke on the backside so I kept it and it hangs on my tree with it's broken backside strategically placed so I am the only one who knows. I can laugh now, but I wasn't laughing that day. Your tree is dripping with ornaments just the way I like em! Absolutely beautiful! (By the way I now run a wire from the trunk of the tree to the wall and anchor it so it isn't going anywhere - it's over 9' tall and could wipe out more than ornaments)

[Merisi's Vienna for Beginners]

I am so sorry for your lost treasures! That really was like a nightmare before Christmas. I must confess you made me laugh too, even though it was a really sad event, but the way you were telling it, just hit my funny bone and also because I remembered last years upside-down Christmas tree in a Vienna flowershop window: Would have been the right punishment for your recalcious tree, wouldn't it? Lots of joy though with the hard earned Christmas decor! :-)

[Daisy Cottage]

Oh Corey - this tree is just BEAUTIFUL! I love the colors - and I'm sorry that you lost your precious ornaments..((hugs))
Kim

[mary]

wonderful tree !

[melissa @ the inspired room]

Oh, how very unfortunate! You poor dear. Guess what we had to do this year with our tree? Our tree is 9 feet tall and must be 8 feet wide. It would not stand upright so we had to put SANDBAGS on the stand all the way around to keep it stable!

You poor thing, I don't swear very often, but I think I would if my tree fell over and broke my ornaments.

xo

[connie govea stuart]

OHhh.
*What a beauty*!! wonderful colors Corey :]