After bargaining for the presence of a Christmas tree in our house, the next step was to actually get hold of one.  Mum came to the rescue with a rather old (possibly over ten years old) 3 footer that’s not been taken from the loft in a good few years.  I’m not sure the sister was too happy about it, seeing as it was actually her tree, but she wasn’t given a choice in the matter, especially as she’s not used it in years anyway.

The next point of contention was the state of the living room.  I told the boy yesterday morning that he would not get to put the tree up until all his toys were tidied up.  Gah!  I sound like my mother.  She never used to let us put the tree up until the house was tidy either.  I called as I left work to check the boy had tidied up and surprisingly enough, he had.  It wasn’t the lure of the Christmas tree that had done it though, it was the husband threatening not to let him play Xbox unless he tidied up first.  Still, the job was done, I was happy.  The husband still had to push his luck though: no decorations all over the house; just the tree.  He’s lucky I don’t want to have to put the stuff away again whilst pregnant or he’d have never won that battle.

Once the tree was assembled we started out with the star; a huge silvery glittery thing bought years ago but always to heavy to stay on the tree.  Once again there was no exception and we gave up, instead favouring a much lighter weight angel that had been left in the Christmas tree box. 

Then for the lights.  They’re ancient, well at least five years old.  One bulb has gone but they still work.  What I’d forgotten is that another bulb got crushed last year so now there’s a light fitting complete with wire prongs poking out.  Luckily they still work and I’ve already learnt that touching those prongs whilst the lights are turned on does not result in electric shock – or at least not at a power you or I would notice.  The trouble was, as we wound the lights around the Christmas tree (and there’s a lot of light for this particular tree) they kept flickering on and off.  I guess this year is probably the last year those lights will be in use. 

The rest of the decorations followed.  The boy picked the bits he was after and although not very artistic in his decoration, popped them on the tree just where he wanted them.  First the few mirrorballs that were left from our very first Christmas, before he was even born.  Then the silvery glittery stars.  Finally the silver glittery presents, the ones he still remembers taking apart when he was only two years old.  Good job I was skilled enough to put them back together cos those things cost me £3!

It was only when I was tidying up the empty boxes that I realised the boy had taken his one handmade Christmas decoration and shoved it back in the box.  As kids our trees were filled with decorations brought back from nursery and school, craft projects the mother had sat us down with.  Even now some of those very decorations still adorn the mother’s tree.  We’ve never really bothered with the boy.  When you only have room for a three foot tree there’s not much space for decorations anyway.  Maybe when we get a place that’s got room for a bigger tree I’ll sit down with him and get him to make something spectacular.  My favourites were baubles made of polystyrene balls, carefully constructed with ribbons and sequins and held together with sewing pins.  Maybe one day.

Then for the grand finale: the photo.  I’ve wanted a new one of the boy for my phone screensaver and now seemed like the perfect opportunity.  Except the light in the living room was too bad to get a decent picture because we’re too tight to put all three bulbs in the candle-style light fitting.  The husband’s phone (with it’s jailbroken flash) was the saviour of the day and I managed to get a half decent photo out of it, enough to keep me happy anyway.  And at least the boy smiled nicely this time, even if I couldn’t get him to sit up straight!

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