Tradition

Oh Christmas Tree My mother keeps this tradition, one that she honors each year whether her children are home or not. Every year this little, pathetic tree, with its gaps and wayward branches is set up and decorated the weekend before Thanksgiving in the family room. Today I helped string the lights, wrap the garland and place the ornaments. I have not participated in this annual event for four years. We watched some horribly silly movie on TNT as we did it. And we both kind of smiled throughout the "ordeal" of decorating. As we placed an odd assortment of globes, snowmen,Snoopies, Charlie Brown and elementary school- made ornaments collected over the years on the tree my mom shook her head and smiled. "I can't believe we still have this tree," knowing full well that she would never discard it. "We bought it before you were born for $10." I smiled and gave her arm a slight squeeze. I remembered all the Christmas mornings my sister and I raced down the stares to see what Santa brought. Then my mom drank her coffee in her pjs while dispersing the presents and my dad placed all the discarded wrappings in black plastic bags. I remember wishing that this beautiful tree could stay up all year round and regretting the weekend after New Years, knowing that it was never up long enough as we took it down.