My husband and I always had a real Christmas tree. We would go pick it out, drag it into our living room and set it up in front of our big window. And then I would spend weeks sweeping up pine needles and wondering why the heck we insisted on a real tree.
When we had kids, we decided to go the artificial route. I decided it just wasn't worth the constant "don't put the pine needles in your mouth" chant. We ended up finding what I thought was the best invention ever - a tree that had an "electronic lift" built into it. Let's see if I can describe it...you basically pulled it out of a box, stepped on a peddle and the tree went from 2 feet tall to over 5 feet and fell open into a pretty decent looking tree. And it came with lights already on it! Easiest tree assembly ever!! No mess, no fuss - and as the kids got older they got to take turns "raising the tree" by stepping on the peddle.
Last year, we got the "we should go back to a real tree" bug. Our daughters were old enough not to put the pine needles in their mouths and, in all honesty, nothing really beats the smell of a real tree. Last year, putting up the tree went off without a hitch. This year, another story.
Off hubby went to get a tree. Saturday was the day we dragged out all the decorations (my favourite part of putting the tree up is going through all the old decorations!!). Tree went up without a hitch (including lots of water to keep it looking beautiful), on went the lights and the decorations, and up went the angel.
As we stood back to admire our handi-work and grab the camera, it happened. Our gorgeous tree (with a base full of water) fell sideways. And it didn't just lean - it fell completely on its side. Wouldn't have been so bad if it hadn't meant litres of water everywhere.
Let's just say there were alot of frantic yells for towels and some very colourful language thrown around. Was not our proudest parenting moment thats for sure!!
After we mopped up the water, back up went the tree (now secured in its base) minus our angel topper - that we have to replace. It's been 2 days and it is still standing so we're thinking we're golden.
Now we can giggle about it - and it sure made for a moment that will go into the scrapbook with a journal entry. I'm hoping that's our only Griswald moment this year.
What about you? Any moments from seasons past (or present) that you laugh at now but were not so funny at the time?
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