"Oh Christmas Tree"

We have done it again – Christmas tree was up right after Thanksgiving. As unconventional as we have always been, I have actually become the driven force for this new tradition, granted it is only our second year. The idea was not all that appealing, especially after all that Thanksgiving indulgence with a huge serving of guilt on the side. The anticipated moan and groan from the designated worker does not help either. Nevertheless, I am a determined, overcoming defender of a couple of newly established family traditions (another one being driving around town to look for restaurants that open on Christmas Eve) and thus bravely called for tree motion. The grunt surely came, followed by foot stomping, door opening, boxes banging and finally the gleeful caroling on the radio. That was the signal of safe landing. I tip toed out, all ready and eager to offer my assistance in our tree assembling ceremony.

I am a practical romanticist, a realistic dreamer and a proud owner of the 20-year-old, duck-taped box of Christmas tree lying on the floor. Our observing, rational son commented that it is probably one of the very few artificial trees made in the USA, as noted on the box. It matters not to us. We love our fake tree, despite that we have to take great pain assembling it branch by branch and afterwards fighting to put strands of lights on before the 501 ornaments can go on. Our preference is nothing environmental. To us, she is just perfect in size, color and shape. We did once commit the despicable act of straying by replacing her with a pre-lit model. That unfaithfulness lasted merely one season. The next year we returned to our old love with shame and forever loyalty.

Next comes the lights thing – they will have to be multi-colored instead of the clear kind. Those colorful lights once made our first born so happy when he was young and thus tradition of colored lights as it is. For the longest time, the tree was the only royalty for our Christmas as no wreath or garland should be there to take away attention from her. But during the last few years she has been accompanied by a garland on the mantel and Mr. and Mrs. Snowman in front of our fireplace. They were part of the Cinderella magic night when our quiet New England ski lodge house was transformed to a sparkling ballroom by a couple of special friends who happened to drop by on that Christmas caroling night. The fireplace was roaring, the roast cooking in the oven and Alison’s “Amazing Grace” ringing high on the cathedral ceiling of our great room. The pumpkin indeed had morphed into this glorious chariot with such love and joy. Once the exiled vagabonds, there we were home in our Canaan flowing with milk and honey.

Two and half hours of deliberated effort later, there stood in our great room our handsome tree majestically adorned, her friends humbly trailing behind and four admirers staring at her in awe and silence. Five-ish on one of the last days of November, it was already into the night. The room was dark and there singing light-heartedly was Dean Martin’s “Winter Wonderland”. It was 60’s that day – the song as well as our snowman in our southern Virginia home was totally ridiculous, same as our oh-so-artificial tree. Yet, we were spell-bound like a fool having his love at the first sight moment all over again. My heart was full as I echoed those words from that old carol “Oh Christmas Tree” :

"O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!Much pleasure thou can'st give me;O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!Much pleasure thou can'st give me;How often has the Christmas treeAfforded me the greatest glee!O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!Much pleasure thou can'st give me.

O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!Thy candles shine so brightly!O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!Thy candles shine so brightly!From base to summit, gay and bright,There's only splendor for the sight.O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!Thy candles shine so brightly!

O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!How richly God has decked thee!O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!How richly God has decked thee!Thou bidst us true and faithful be,And trust in God unchangingly.O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!How richly God has decked thee! !"

We all know it’s not about the tree or the snow at all. It’s the memory, covered by the unyielding love of Christ. Scarred it may be, it sparkles all the more like those twinkling lights year after year…