Christmas Tree Follies

Oh. My. Today has been a LONG day!!!

I decided that this year everybody else was starting to do Christmas stuff early, so I would too. Plus, I'm at my mom's the weekend after Thanksgiving (traditional Christmas tree decorating days). I was so good this week. I took my time. One day the fall decor came down. The next day the "regular" stuff came down (you know...because everything is replaced by Christmas decorations!). The next day I cleaned all surfaces. Friday I got all of the Christmas stuff down from the attic space and put our tree up.

Our tree was a slim-line 7.5 foot prelit. Yesterday I took my time fluffing it out. Then today I added extra lights--because you know...pre-lit doesn't mean that there is enough lights! After I got my 1200 lights on I sat down, content with another day's work towards Christmas. Then it all went OUT except for the bottom part of the pre-lit lights. Ack!

I took deep breaths. I tried not to cry. Plenty of time before Christmas Anita. It's just a tree. We thought we found the problem. I found fuses and changed them. [This is one of those things where I'm on my own because of Eric's vision.] Voila! It worked!!! Beautiful lights again--red green and white. Deep sigh of relief. For about five minutes. Then they went out again in the same place!

I tried again not to cry. This time it was tougher. I found more fuses. I changed them again. Again it worked....for two minutes. Crud! Defeated by the tree, I calmly (no tears) took off the 700 beautiful lights I had added. "Eric, bring down the monster."

We have another tree that we used before the days of pre-lit trees. It is very pretty, but something about it breaks out my arms. And it takes a TON of time to fluff it appropriately. Still, what a blessing that we have an extra tree because we would NOT be buying another on this year! [You might be wondering why not use the pre-lit tree that wasn't working. We could have, but it looked really weird with all of those unlit lights strung on it. A neighbor of ours gladly took it. She had been looking for a slim line tree.]

Without having the pre-lit tree we would OF COURSE need to go to Wal-Mart to get extra lights! Of we went, the 5 of us. After more lights (and more ornaments, and new Christmas shirts for the kids...and milk) we headed home.

We fluffed and fluffed and fluffed. Our arms are all red and scratchy. Then it was my turn for the lights (again). Off I went with confidence. 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700, 800....900 lights. Red and green and white and beautiful. Then they WENT OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This time I really did almost cry. By this time our game was on (Go Sooners, beat Tech!) and Eric begged me just to give it up for the day and watch the game. But by golly, I had goals for today! Well, one goal. To get the lights on the tree!

I unwound, and unwound, and unwound. 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700, 800... only 800 lights. The stinkin' string that went out (the first set I put on there) can just stay! I was really stupid and put the oldest set of light as the first. Duh.

Once again I strung the lights. 1200 on. And imagine this...they stayed on! Whew. So it only took all day, but we have a tree with lights. Even garland and a star on top. Ornaments are for another day. Next week, the really decorating begins!

Anita

P.S. Don't tell me about the clump of red near the top. I know. I don't care anymore!