Tradition

It’s kinda cool to have a mixed marriage. No, I am not that cool, my wife is from Poland. Some of the best things are learning about her traditions. In the good old USA our traditions are literally stuffed into us in the form of mass marketing campaigns. I am not on my soapbox against the establishment or even “the man”. I am observing the traditions of Christmas from two perspectives. One of the best, in my opinion, is the setting up and decorating of the Christmas tree. My family was like many in that we would put ours up on the Friday after Thanksgiving. Normal, right?

She asked me why we didn’t call it a Thanksgiving tree and I had to laugh. She’s right of course and that is the foundation of all happy marriages. For the last three years on Christmas eve I would bring the tree inside (carefully selected cut tree that has been soaking in water for at least three days) and set it in the stand. Poof, I am done and sent in the other room. Not even the cats are allowed in there. As I leave I glance at the small boxes that litter the sofa, chair and most of the floor. One hand is on her hip and she is holding a handmade ornament in the other.

A few hours later she emerges and shuts the door behind her with a solid click. “Bedtime”, she announces matter of factly and that’s it. I will have to wait until tomorrow. Now I have been around for quite a few Christmases, but I can’t sleep. I am an eight year old kid again. In her family the Christmas tree was the gift to the family that was only revealed on Christmas day (the first day of Christmas).

As we drive around town I see all the Christmas lights and we have enjoyed taking lots of pictures of the yard decorations to send to her disbelieving friends back home. I catch her catching me looking at the trees inside the houses and she gets this small little smile on her face. It’s fantastic. Photographs cant’ capture the magical quality of Christmas lights much less the special magic of her Christmas trees. At this time of year my camera is pointed at the folks down the street with the 27mega watt display with coordinated music and animated reindeer. Our Christmas trees are to be enjoyed in person.