The Christmas Tree Art of Compromise

In our house, the tree is the ultimate symbol of compromise. We all have our issues...meaning our preferences on how the tree is procured, how it is decorated, and how long it hangs around. And then there is the reality of how it shakes out every year.

On the day after Thanksgiving, my kids long to be the family in this car. They want a tree that we chop down in the woods, while drinking hot cocoa and singing carols. Sounds fun, so we tried this approach one year. We headed for the foothills, but got horribly lost on the way to the magical Christmas tree filled forest. By the time we agreed on where to park and set out on our quest for the tree of perfection, the kids were starving and cold as was the hot cocoa we brought along. We soon realized that every tree looked like it had auditioned for a Charlie Brown Christmas. Yes, whining ensued, and a lot of it was coming from me. None of the trees was quite right. Disillusioned and freezing, we left the magical forest, probably the only car leaving without a tree tied to its roof. We drove straight to Big Lots in suburbia, and paid $45 for a tree that met our (my) stringent requirements. We got it home and in the stand. In the light of day a friend remarked on our tree's bluish green color. We soon discovered it had been spray painted! Really? Does the pursuit of the perfect Christmas tree have to be this complicated?

So for the kids, it has less to do with what the tree looks like and more about how soon it goes up (Black Friday preferred), and the seasonal beverages we are enjoying. (Can you relate?) In fact, as long as they can drink egg nog while we're decorating it, they don't really care about the tree's overall vision. Lesson learned: keep the kids happy with hot chocolate and egg nog. Done.

Now for my husband, I do believe he was tortured in some past life during the holiday season. He totally embraces the spirit of the season with charitable acts and a festive demeanor, but when the boxes of decorations are brought up from storage, the complaining begins. He loathes the Christmas decor. I learned early on in our marriage that I can count on him for lighting and for spiking my egg nog on the night we decorate the tree. So it probably comes as no surprise that his preferred Christmas tree comes in a box, is pre-lit, gets set up on December 23rd, and taken down on December 26th.

As you can imagine, I'm a bit more particular. While I'm not eager to jump in the car on the hunt for the perfect tree on Black Friday (I'd rather be eating leftover pie), regarding the tree, I do have issues. They involve height paired with fullness and now, after the Big Lots debacle, I can add natural color to my list of criteria. As for decor, I would love a tree that has an overall style and color palette. Something like the one on this cover...

Or these...

I realize these are depersonalized with more emphasis on matching the decor of the room than imbuing the spirit of the season. Am I that shallow? Well, maybe a little, but don't judge me too harshly because our tree usually ends up looking something like this.

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This tree is live, and it's decorated with love, and that's a happy compromise. I'll post pictures of our tree (when we finally get it up!)

What are your Christmas tree preferences in your family?

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