2.5 hours.
That's how long it took Aaron and I to make Christmas, and to win our epic battle against the Christmas tree.
We got the tree on Monday, took it home and then realized we had no saw to cut part oof the bottom trunk off. I wasn't impressed; we had always cut the bottom most part of the trunk off at home to help the tree draw up water. But, we set it up any way with every intention of taking it down later when we had a saw. I went to work, and all was right with the world. When I came home, I have the *brilliant* idea to try and move the tree over so it wasn't blocking Joey's framed cross stitch, and to turn it so the holes in the tree faced the back.
CRASH!
Down goes the tree, because I was simply not strong enough to hold it up and set it right. So I start jiggin' with it, trying to set it up so it will stand under its own power again, to get it straight, and it just wasn't happening. It was on the floor more than it was up. So I take off the stand, and made many failed attempts to put it back on, in the mean time breaking the little center piece in the tree stand. It was only there to help center the tree, so I really didn't care at this point, and by now Aaron was there to help me. We get the tree up, get it hooked to the wall, and we are contented. Sort of.
The very, very tip of the tree needed to be trimmed more so we had a place to fit the star. I tried, and couldn't get it. Aaron tried and broke my tool kit scissors. Which, for whatever reason, seemed snaffoo'd any way. We get the star up crooked, do the lights, and begin the tedious task of putting hooks on more than 100 balls for the tree. Huzzah for small, nimble fingers! I rocked at that task. We then put them on the tree and started clean up. Then I wanted to water the tree, and discovered the hole in the bottom of the tree stand. The water was pouring out! This we patched with sticky tack.
Having two extra sets of lights, I decide we should have some lights in the window! Mom had given me some handy suction cup things to hold the lights up, so I go to it. And realize they are not as easy as first expected. So I fight with them and finally get the lights up in the window. I'm debating whether or not we could criss-cross the other set of lights, when Aaron has his idea. I go and work some more on clean up while he sets about it. I come back, and he's halfway across the dragon tapestry with the lights. It was a very nice touch, I must say. He finished, and he was about to untangle the very end when the whole thing fell. He had to start all over again.
At 11:40, we sat down in the dim living room, admiring our handy work by the light of 600 Christmas lights. And we went positively silly. We just started laughing, and couldn't stop laughing. We were still hysterical when Joey got home.
But, we made Christmas. And that was all that mattered.
The Bookwyrm Community Member 
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