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Tuesday, December 22, 2009

(N)O Christmas Tree



Guess what we did on Saturday after we opened our presents?

We took down our Christmas tree. I'm sure that seems strange - especially if you were putting up your tree on the very same day.

But here's the deal - the tree had served it's purpose at our house. We had celebrated Cramp Christmas the weekend before, our own Christmas that morning, and I was packing up and getting ready to head to my parents for the week. It just seemed logical to take it down. And I'm glad we did - it means one less thing to do on the one day we have between getting home from my parents and welcoming our company who is coming for New Years.

Plus, the tree was dead. Like, really really dead. Like, more dead than I have ever seen. Over the past week, anytime anything touched the tree, and even at random times, we would hear a sprinkling of pine needles hitting the floor. Everyone in my family is getting extra lucky this year, with a side of pine needles included in their gift.

I remember always cleaning up the trail of pine needles that were left in the wake of my dad lugging our tree out to the curb. But this was something entirely different. There wasn't much of a trail of needles marking the tree's path out to the patio ... because there were no needles left on the tree. The entire tree's worth of needles were laying on the floor around the Christmas tree base.

I have never seen anything like this. Apparently if a tree becomes completely dry, the base of the tree seals itself back up. I'm going to guess this is what happened. While the dude was away hunting and I went to my mom's do Christmas baking, I think the tree sucked up all the water. Because after that, I never had to water it again. The base was always full. Clearly, the tree was not getting any water. Please do not let this happen to your tree. It is sad. It is messy. And, after two weeks, the water starts to smell like poop. Sorry, but it's true.

Here are some pictures to demonstrate just how sad our tree was by the last day. (Sorry the pictures are in a crazy order. As I said yesterday, I can't seem to rearrange the order of the photos on either my mom or dad's laptops). They go in backwards - documenting first what the floor looked like after we took the tree out and then ending with a photo of what the branches looked like with the decorations still on. I've also added another picture of what our tree looked like when we first put it up at the beginning of the post (because I cannot move it to the end) for you to see the difference. If you feel so inclined, look at the photos in backwards order.

The evidence that a Christmas tree once existed here.
Logi and Evan stopped by for a bit so she helped me take down the decorations.
You know you're happy that you get to see me wearing my traditional Christmas garb. The Christmas pants and reindeer sweater are a steadfast tradition!
The sad, droopy branches.
This is what the tree looked like before we started taking down the decorations.
Sad isn't it?

18 comments:

Tricia said...

It is indeed sad, my friend. However, I prefer to look at it as a life thoroughly enjoyed and used up. Your tree went out with a bang. Just as it should be. ;)

XO*T

Lucky in Love said...

Holy cow that's a lot of needles! I can't believe that! Sorry you had to live with a dead tree for 2 weeks :( And had to clean it up! Yuck!

But I hope you're having a wonderful time with your family!!

Nicole said...

All I can say is 'wow'.

My greatest memory from Christmas as a kid (other than the one year I snooped and found the gifts and my mom found out **gulp**) was that by noon every Christmas Day, Christmas was over at our house and the tree was in the ditch. My mom was sick to death of all of the pine needles. I guess we were lucky it wasn't gone once Santa arrived!

Have a Merry Christmas!

Hillary said...

Aww, it looked so pretty at the beginning! I'm really bad at remembering to water our tree, so I hope it doesn't do the same thing! I'd hate to be stuck with all those needles and my husband refuses to pick them up since I was the one who wanted the real tree!

jenn said...

Oh no - poor tree :( At least it looked beautiful for most of its life! :)

Jessica McCoy said...

Our tree is deader than normal already too. My mom's died completely early last week and she had to take it down. She said she's going back to a fake tree but I LOVE having a realy tree :)

Brittany Ann said...

Whoa. You weren't kidding. It really was dead. Your vacuum must have had a chore that night!

SnoWhite said...

wow...

on the bright side, every time you run your vacuum cleaner for the next YEAR you'll smell your beloved Christmas tree.

Linda@Coastal Charm said...

Now that's one dead tree...soooo sorry! Merry Christmas!

Blessings,
Linda

Ashley @ The Happy Little Home said...

That was a lot of needles!!! I'm glad you took it down!

This Texas Momma said...

Holy Moly woman! You had a Charlie Brown tree when it came down! hahahaha....I hope you are able to get all of those needles up!

Lisa said...

Wow. I've never seen anything like that before! I'm glad it got you through the first half of your holidays though! :)

Llama said...

oh my goodness! that poor poor tree...it crumbled! i too think that was a good idea...esp if you will be traveling for the holidays...if it served its purpose than that is all that matters! happy holidays!

Shaina said...

Oh dear. You weren't exaggerating at all - it is so sad and dead! And it seems like 99.9% of all the needles were on the ground. Sad face.

Mandi @ Sweetly Home said...

Oh my gosh girl, I literally laughed out loud when I read your post. That is a crazy dead tree!! All of those needles! Crazy! Good thing you took it down early. Even though you celebrated some Christmas's early, just still want to wish you both a wonderful holiday. Sounds like it's been pretty great so far! :)

Anonymous said...

what a sad tree! It was definitely best to take it down! Anyway, I hope you have a very Merry Christmas!!

Denise K. said...

Merry Christmas to the entire "Lucy's Life" Family! We wish you a beautiful day celebrating our Savior's birth! Enjoy this special day with your family! Sending you lots of love from Colorado to Canada, Denise :-)

Courtney said...

Aww that poor tree!! I hate it when they get like that! I still aplaud you for having a real tree though! ;)