Every day is a constant round of decisions. Some of them are more simple than others. I learned one thing about decisions when I was taking an Education course, and that is: decisions are easier to make if they involve a choice between two things. So, it’s much easier for a child to answer the question, “Would you like cold cereal OR scrambled eggs for breakfast?” If you just say, “What do you want for breakfast?” – well, that question is a little too open-ended, and is more difficult to answer.
Today, I made a decision. It is not one of those earthshaking ones, just a little one. I decided to go to K-Mart to buy an artificial Christmas tree. The price tags ranged from $79.99 to $299. (or was it $399?). Anyhow, we picked out a tree that we liked, which is already set with colored lights.
This idea has been a long time in coming. My Dad had planted a tree nursery on the farm where I grew up, and I’ve been used to having live trees, most of my life. Around here, the live trees option involves going to a “cut your own” farm and giving them an arm and a half of one leg, in payment, or for the same price, buying a half-dead tree, cut in Canada in August, bundled, and shipped down.
All things considered, not the least of which are my allergic reaction to leaf mold, and my lack of patience with falling needles and constant watering, we now have a tree that should last for the rest of our lives.
I’m glad that’s settled. One less thing to stress me out. Now, we are looking forward to displaying our very wonderful and extremely eclectic collection of Christmas ornaments, many of them made by friends or family members.
Among them is a paper Danish star, given to us by my daughter-in-law, counted cross stitch ornaments from various friends, and clay sculpted and painted ornaments made by my sister, who is an artist. There are ones that were made by my son, in grade school, including a profile of a horse, made with felt, and embroidered. He used the buttonhole stitch to adhere two pieces of felt, and he added embroidered details. He made that in about the third grade, if I remember correctly. So clever and smart he was at such an early age! I always feel happy to see the decorations again, after having them carefully packed away.
The holidays are tough for a lot of people, especially for those missing loved ones far away. For those who are sad or depressed, seeing how happy other people supposedly are, if we are to believe the television, only increases a sense of not being connected to the greater world.
This year, I am planning to have a nice holiday season. I will bake our time-honored family recipe for “Stollen,” order a fruitcake from Collin’s Bakery in Texas, and probably eat it all by myself, over time, as my family does not like it. We will visit the LaSalette Shrine in Enfield, NH, an annual trek to see the mountainside full of light displays. If there is a good concert anywhere, then we may attend that. Of course, I will listen to Bing Crosby, watch “It’s a Wonderful Life” for the umpteenth time, wrap gifts, and otherwise have a pre-programmed, good time, just because I can. I’ve come to the conclusion that attitude is all.
I hope that you, too, will enjoy the holiday season that is upon us, beginning next week, and that you will also pre-plan events that make you happy.
As always,
Pat
