Monday 19 December 2011

O Christmas Tree!

Oh, God, no.
It's that time of year again.
Yuletide.
When the children assist in the Decorating of the Tree.
Help. Me.
Not that I am Anal by any stretch (sorry) of the imagination, but I DO like my decorations to look sort of Nice.
About this time, up goes the tree, and I grit my teeth and clench buttocks as Children, with squeals of joy, ruin the Bastard Tree in about three minutes.
A cluster of glittery sort of horrors are placed all over it, while endless small (WHY?) bits of tinsel are draped round and round and ROUND it until the green of the tree is totally obliterated, and it resembles a rather unpleasant sort of Naff Lady Costume in Panto.
And the baubles.
Oh, God, don't let me even THINK about the Baubles...
Each January I surruptitiously chuck Nasty Baubles in the bin, and breathe sigh of relief that NEXT year we will have tasteful, modest, rather Chelsea looking decorations on our tree.
And what happens the next December? Eh?
Blasted teachers (am one of them) send home tatty old bits of tinsel and tired felt, wrapped round lavatory rolls, while Proud Child bears this treasure home, and carries it, with great Pomp and Circumstance, to the tree.
And hangs the Horror on it.
I WANT MY TREE BACK.
I want a modest little ensemble of lights and glass and colour. I want people to Oooh and Ahhh as they first take a peek of it. I want to sip champagne, with the fire roaring, the tree twinkling, and friends chatting.
I want, I want, I want....
And so, last night we decorated the tree. And I clenched said buttocks while children bickered over where to put tinsel, lights, baubles and general crap.
When I realised that they actually were Doing It Right.
!!!
!!!
!!!
Really!!!
Middle Son instructed younger two to stand back while he draped lights round and round. Standing back to check they were even.
!!!
Youngest draping tinsel randomly round anywhere, and the others telling him to stop, as they hadn't finished doing the lights yet.
!!!
On finishing the lights, out came the tinsel.
Oh, Ker-ist.
Round the tree the tinsel went, children standing back and looking at their handiwork as they decorated.
!!!
Up went lovely bright red baubles, then gold. Always being checked they were in the right place.
'It's looking good,' commented Middle Son occasionally, to himself.
And it was!!!
The fairy lights twinkled in all the right places, the glass bits danced with light, the shiny bits shone just in the right places, and when the tree was done, and we all stood back, we gave out a unanimous, Ahhhhh.
Because it was beautiful. Truly.
And I felt ashamed of my horrible pre-conceived ideas of how Crap my children were at decorating trees and such.
Because they are rather Superb after all.
And we spent an evening in the company of the most beautiful tree in the world, with the firelight glancing off tinsel and glass, and glinting most satisfactorily through my glass of wine.
Hooray!! Another milestone passed in this Parenting Malarkey.
Chuffed, I am.
Really Chuffed.

8 comments:

Vicus Scurra said...

I am deeply upset.
I was almost (almost) moved by that little tale, and almost felt the blood circulating, perhaps even warming the gap where my heart used to be.
I was so moved that I almost omitted to congratulate you on having indoctrinated your poor children to become paragons of bourgeois virtue and the pointless repetition of outdated rituals. But then I remembered that I have christmas traditions as well.
love and peace.

Ladybird World Mother said...

Bravo! I almost moved Vicus Scurra!! Will try much harder next time... love and peace back... I think xxx

Anonymous said...

My tree is covered with every single horror of glitter and tinsel and felt that my children have made over the years.

And yet, those horrendous things are more valuable to me than all the gold in the universe. I'll bet yours are too. Treasure them - like a fine wine, they get better with age.

Sir Bruin said...

Take heart. When your children leave home, you can have what you like on your tree.
WV is "blesses" - is that a sign?

Kathy G said...

I'll echo what Sir Bruin said...and add that if you play your cards right your children's spouses will be enamored of the old homemade ornaments and want to take them to their house!

Ladybird World Mother said...

Jeff - I know,I know, but you realise that you are a MUCH nicer person than me. I WILL treasure them, I just don't want them on the tree. I have a little (actually, huge) treasure trove of useless and wonderful creations that the kids have come home with this last 22 years... and you're right, they ARE treasure.
Now you've made me feel like a right old bat. xxxx
Sir B - I know, but that's still light years away... and yes, your word verification is definitely a sign... how cool is that!!xx
Kathy - fab idea... will put them all into sack ready for the day! xx

Strawberry Jam Anne said...

Lovely! Once again I could picture it all LWM. I hope you and your lovely family have a wonderful Christmas a very Happy New Year.
(now I'm off to post something about Christmas - you and your children have inspired me, thank you). A xx

Catharine Withenay said...

I know - horrifically late - but I had to comment because that is just so perfect. Our tree, too, looked quite bearable this year. And it was a central (well, actually, our only) Christmas decoration, around which we all gathered with presents and general Yuletide cheer.
Hooray for growing up!1