O' Christmas Tree

When I was a kid, I would bug the heck out of my parents to put up the Christmas tree.  I think I started around October 1st.  OK, not that early.  It seemed like we neeeever put it up early enough.  One year when I was older, we had it up for Thanksgiving since we were hosting that year and I can remember thinking "Why didn't we do this when I was a kid??"  I'll tell you why.  Putting up that tree is a pain in the butt when you are the adult.

We I put up the tree today.

I'll admit, I brought it on myself.  It's my fault.  It was my idea.  I said "Let's put up the tree when we get back in town after Thanksgiving!"  We were in the door 15 minutes and I started hearing voices (not the ones in my head.  ha ha.)

"When are we putting up the tree?"

"Can we put up the tree?"

"When you go downstairs and get the tree, can I help?"

"Let's go get the tree!"

So, we put up the tree.  It wasn't so bad!  As I opened the box and saw the three chunks of tree in the box I breathed a sigh of relief that I didn't have to put in each individual branch.  Then my heart skipped a beat when I remembered I didn't have to string lights either because our tree is pre-lit!  Yea!  This will be done in no time!

You know what's coming next, right?

Well, let's not skip ahead.

First, I put the tree stand together and assembled the tree.  Not so bad!  Check out what my helpful helpers did while I wrestled with the tree.......

Call us if you need us!

Then I plugged in the lights.  Going good so far!  What?  Wait a second!  Two parts of the tree were not lit.  Hmmmmmm.......where are those instructions?  Much to my surprise, I saved them when we bought the tree and they were in the box.  Whew.

Take special note of #3

It must be a blown fuse.  Wow, I did not know that a string of lights had a fuse.  I thought you just plugged those suckers in the wall.  OK, open the plugger and pop them out.  No problem! 

Please note.....in case you need this for future reference.......here is what the fuse in a string of lights looks like.....

When I saw the fuses I thought they looked familiar.  What I was thinking was "Darn those look like the things I threw out last week."  For what seemed like YEARS there were assorted Christmas light bulbs in my silverware drawer.  And, those little fusey things.  Well, I didn't know they were fuses.  I kept those things forever.  Just. In. Case.  I also thought "Maybe I didn't throw them out....maybe I have just been meaning to throw them out, but never did.  Maybe I imagined it."  Then I could see them everywhere.  You know when you are looking for something and try to imagine where you saw it last, and you can just picture it everywhere? 

In my mind, I saw it here:

Looks like at least one of them is trying to help

and here:

In case you were wondering, there were no fuses here....

Then I get distracted because I'm in the kitchen and there are crackers from Thanksgiving....which reminds me of the cheese ball from Thanksgiving.  So, I stopped and had a snack.

Then I caught sight of this turkey my son made last year and I thought.....why does that turkey have boobs?

I never found any fuses. 

What to do, what to do?  Maybe the fuses aren't blown.  Maybe I should look at the ones in the lights and check them out.  OK, let's try that.

Per the instructions, they should just drop out into your hand (see item #3 referenced earlier).  They may need some gentle tapping.  Let me warn you.  That's a lie!  They need to be pried out with a screw driver (or hem ripper, which is what I had handy). 

So I pried those babies out of the plug and examined them.  Those suckers are tiny.  I held them up to the light and they looked ok.  Then I saw a funny shadow, but when I turned the fuse over, the shadow stayed at the bottom.  It looked like maybe, possibly, per chance, it could be a burn mark.  It was like the first time you get a positive home pregnancy test result.  You see a faint line, but you aren't really sure.  Maybe it's a shadow?  Maybe it's part of the plastic from the back shining through?  Maybe I should go drink some wine?  You ladies know what I'm talking about. 

It wasn't a burn mark.  The fuse was fine!  I put them both back in the plug.  Several times.  Since they don't just "fall into your hand" per the instructions when you are removing them, they don't exactly go back in the plug easily either.  Anyway, after pushing and squeezing and lots of poking with the hem ripper, they went back in the plug.  And the lights worked.  Yea! 

Now it's time for ornaments!  Where are the kids?  Oh, here are a couple......

I guess they got bored while momma was working on microscopic fuses. 

Anyhoo.....here is our tree!


Please note the clusters of ornaments on the lower middle half.  Guess who's about 3 feet tall?

It's over.  It's done.  It's up.  I am glad.  I love our little tree, but I don't know how people put up two and three trees!  That's a lot of work.  First of all, my tiny house would look like a forest if I had more than one.  Second....well, there really is no second.  One tree is good enough for me.  Wait, there is a second.  If we had more than one tree, my kids would expect presents to be under each one. 

And that's the end of that story. 

Merry Christmas and I hope all of your lights are lit!