I Am a Christmas Tree Nazi, Reformed! (almost...)

Yes, I must confess, it's true. Beginning somewhere early in my marriage, probably about the time that my husband started trying to help me decorate it, I was stuck with this unfortunate nickname.

And as my children were born and as they grew, they learned that at Christmas time, don't mess with mama and the tree.

My poor husband's dreams of a wife who lovingly and sweetly spent time with her children, patiently instructing them on the fine art of Christmas tree adornment, singing carols and sipping peppermint hot cocoa, were dashed at the start of every season.

First, the fight about how many limbs to trim off the bottom to make it perfect.

Then, you must put on the lights on the trees, wrapped around each individual limb for that glowing, almost burning effect. Another discussion begins, on the subject of how many strings of lights are too many .

Then, more opinions offered - the angel or the star?

Next, put the garland OR ribbons on, looped amongst the branches in a very even and organized fashion.

Then, my idea of decorating a perfect Christmas tree is to place an even-numbered quantity of each type of ornament on it, equally spaced.

My husband and kids like the random approach. Just pick up what-ever and put it where-ever. This upsets my equilibrium, and I just end up moving everything around that they put on it. I have even been know to re-decorate the tree completely after said husband and kids have gone to bed. And yes, they noticed. Boy, did they ever!

So finally, the tree decorating was delegated to just mom, and only mom. It had been that way for the past, oh, say 7 or 12 years now.

Then something changed. Something called 7 growing kids with ever-expanding activities, lots of responsibilities, and stress. I no longer had the need for perfection; just the need for completion and contentment among the troops. Last Christmas, the tree missed the mandatory day-after-Thanksgiving deadline by Two Weeks! This year, by only one...

So this year, I relinquished the crown of sharp pine needles that I had bestowed upon myself.

After putting together the ten-thousand piece artificial tree and lighting it, (a huge job in itself), and making sure the angel was placed on top (my husband's preference), I enlisted the help of my sweet 11-year-old Noelle (how fitting; just don't ever sing that song to her) and her two best buddies to finish it off for me. If you can believe it, other than at the very tip-top, I did not put a single ornament on the tree! I let them do it all!

Can't promise that I won't add an ornament here and there, and here, and there, though. Just to give it that motherly touch, you know...