When I was a kid, putting up the tree was kind of a big endeavor.  Many times we had trees that were too large for the stand - a problem remedied more than once by my dad nailing the tree to the floor or wiring it to the wall with screws.  It can be kind of stressful putting up a big Christmas tree.  They are heavy, tippy, sticky, and poke you in the face.  It's hard to get it straight - the person holding the tree at the base can only tilt it blindly, led by the person standing back on the outside giving directions to tilt a little to the left, no now the right.  At some point, someone is bound to start yelling, another will cry, and somebody will exclaim that "this is a fine way to start Christmas."  Good times.

At my own grown up house, we haven't  been without tree issues.  Two years ago, it was so heavy that it crashed on top of the piano.  Last year, I decided that the best way to avoid a crash would be just to lean it into the corner from the start.  Another year, the tree was so full that it blocked about half of the entryway to the room. 

Last year, Martin found his niche in tree decorating - testing and detangling the lights.  It's' a job I don't care for, and since it involves electricity and fixing stuff, he was all for it.  I'm not sure how long he'll want the job, but I'm going to take the help for as long as he's willing.



Martin lighting up the night.
December 2007