He Said:
Almost every year when Allyn mentions getting a Christmas tree, I moan and groan a bit (sometimes just silently so she doesn’t yell at me). As a child, and even into my early twenties, I was always anxious to kick off the holiday season and decorate our tree. Maybe I’ve become too jaded, or perhaps I’m just turning into a grumpy old man, but I don’t feel that same excitement when I think about decorating the Christmas tree anymore. Thus, I’m not always the most eager person in the world to venture out and get one. However, I like getting out and doing activities, and I like Allyn, so I agree to do so.
This year, like we did two years prior, we decided we were going to cut down our tree at a tree farm. After much Googling, we decided to go to Grupp’s Christmas Tree Farm. Upon arriving, we were greeted by an extremely friendly parking attendant and the sight of their cute little store and adjacent barn. The farm was in a nice, fairly secluded location and had a significantly large selection of trees. Lucky for us, we did our research ahead of time and already knew that we wanted a Scotch Pine. Not only are they known for their sturdy branches, but they were also the cheapest (and let’s be honest, that’s probably the most important factor to us.)
After the tree was up and we put a few decorations on it (literally only a few), I was reminded why we bother putting a tree up. It’s a symbol. I’m sure it serves many different purposes for many different people across the world, but, for me, it symbolizes peace, warmth, and family. It brings back fond memories (mostly) and brings a different sort of comfort to the house that isn’t quite there the rest of the year. And this reminder happens every year. I’m not sure why I’m so short-sighted in the time leading up to getting a tree, but I’m glad I always have someone around to convince me to stop being so damn stubborn.
It took a bit of searching since many of the trees had already been picked through (even though we thought we went to pick out our tree fairly early in the tree cutting season), but we eventually found our tiny, quirky tree (fitting for our lives). The process of cutting down the tree went pretty smoothly, and the friendly staff tied the tree on top of the car for us. Putting up the tree, however, did not so painless. Well, the physical process of putting the tree in the stand and getting it straight wasn’t so bad, but Allyn and I had a disagreement about how the tree disposal bag should be utilized (I won).
She Said:
First of all, I like never yell at Shaun. I might get snappy or give him the silent treatment, but there’s really no actual yelling. And second, it’s good to see that Shaun still likes me, because I was definitely a pain in his butt when he got home from work last night, whoops…
For me, putting up our tree is something really special each year. I have a few memories of going to pick a live tree with my mom or dad, but most years, we had artificial ones. Now, I get that real Christmas trees are impractical and that it’s kind of weird to have a big dying thing in the corner of your living room, but I can’t get down with fake ones – it’s just not the same. I love the way the pine smells and for me, I like the experience of picking one together.
In more recent years, decorating the tree has become more meaningful for me than ever. After my dad passed away and we were cleaning out his storage unit, I found a few big boxes of ornaments that weren’t just my dad’s, but some that were also my grandpa’s (and maybe even some from his parents). Every year, it brings me joy to hold these vintage ornaments that my dad and my grandpa also held. The downside is that they’re so fragile, which is why I think branch sturdiness is really the most important quality of our Christmas tree. The beauty of these ornaments is dampened slightly this year by the ugly tree disposal bag that Shaun made us put under it (why can’t we just put it over the tree when it’s done??).
Just kidding, I’ll put up with the ugly green massive trash bag. I’m just happy you were willing to put up a tree with me, babe! And I appreciate the 3 ornaments you hung on it… And I also appreciate that you did all the hard work of cutting it down by yourself while I stood there and filmed it for our vlog video!
