Christmas tree

Last night my partner and I put up the tree. We don’t have a real tree, but a fake one. It’s about 6 feet tall, and I think it’s seen better days. We decided that we’d invest in a new one next year. It’s got silver and blue balls, as well as some really small blue lights. We have a few other ornaments that we’ve gotten from my parents added there. The tree is simple, but it looks nice.

But putting up the tree, and just the whole process, it isn’t anything compared to how we trimmed the tree growing up. I remember growing up, my sister and my dad would always go out in the woods somewhere (my dad had all the spots) and he’d chop a huge tree. While they were doing that, the rest of us at home would bring out the decorations and lights and get them all organized. They’d come home, we’d put on Christmas music, and we’d trim the tree in the living room. Our living room have 25 foot ceilings, so we’d get a tree that was at between 15-20 feet high. I think our tallest one was 22 feet. We were able to reach the top, because the family room had a balconcy like area, that would overlook the living room. This tree would have all of the “kids” ornaments, and my mum would give us a new one each year. This tree was for all the pressies that we’d exchange with the relatives. It was the “in-laws” tree. And it always looked so beautiful.

After that tree was up, my parents would go out and get a smaller (still pretty good sized) tree within the next few days. This tree was for my parents’ bedroom, and they would put OUR pressies under this tree. They usually used the more delicate decorations and ornaments that they had. So usually on Christmas morning, we’d go into my parents’ bedroom to open our pressies, while all the other pressies were under the other tree. My parents did this, so that we couldn’t peek at anything before Christmas. Their room would be off limits, and any chance we got to go into the bedroom, we’d try to sneak a peek.

But I sure miss those days. I miss the days of a REAL tree. Even when I wasn’t living with my parents, we’d always find a weekend before Christmas to come together to trim the tree. It’s a tradition that I miss immensly while being here in Australia. SURE, they have “real” trees, but they’re nothing like the pine or douglas firs you get back in Oregon. Oregon is FILLED with trees, and it just really gets people into the spirit of things, when they can smell a real tree permeating throughout the house. I miss the smells of Christmas, the crisp evenings where our noses get cherry red. I miss having homemade apple cider, or egg nog, while listening to Christmas music.

It’s amazing at how much one’s “perspective” on a holiday can change, based on where you are. Since being with my partner, and having spent 3 Christmas’ with her family already..it’s so different. And I think this year is going to be even more different because it’s going to be the last Christmas in the house my partner grew up in. Her mum is selling the house after the holidays. There are a lot of extended family and broken familes, with new partners..and it just makes for a complicated day. But my partner has told me she prefers our holiday traditions than her own. Still doesn’t like the cold, but she likes the traditions that my family does.

I’m definitely looking forward to next Christmas. We’re going to be back home, in the states, in the blistering cold, and back again with my family. Don’t get me wrong, I still enjoy Christmas here. But it’s just not the same without my own family and my own “touch” of what I’ve been so used to. It makes it hard for me to even get into the spirit of Christmas because it’s so warm and it’s well, SUMMER. Christmas to be is always associated with the cold, and winter..having a Christmas bbq and then going to the beach, that’s NOT what it’s about to me . But many parts of the world celebrates Christmas in the heat. I will just have to make due eh??

-current mood-MY NOSE HURTS, I have a pimple right where my glasses sit..grrr LOL.