The big tree is standing proud at the Johnson Plantation. So far, it has only been bedecked with 1,000 lights. I’m thinking it looks pretty good & that might be all that happens to it. 

Kidding! 

Sort of. 

Here’s how it happens every year:

Me: “Are we doing a live tree or a fake one this year?”

J: “I like the live ones. Don’t you?”

Me: “Yes. Can we go cut one down at Hal’s?”

J: “Why can’t we just get one from the store?”

Me: “Because it will be fun to go cut one down.”

Silence. 

He wears me down over the next few days & I start scrutinizing the ones at the store, & he comes by to pick up my selection. I always have eyeballed the biggest, tallest, fluffiest one that’s still under 12′. 

“That’s huge!”

“No, it’s not! It’s perfect.”

Then he calls me Clark & tries to steer me toward the piddly 5-footers. 

Eventually we compromise & get a very full 7′ one. 

And I come home & it’s all set up & ready to decorate. And I put on It’s a Wonderful Life or Home Alone or National Lampoon’s & get to it.