December 24, 1981 - Casting Christmas' SpellDecember 24, 1981 Tbt OpUffolh Mints _ Page 7
Casting Christmas'Spell
A Christmas tree is something special --
like the house you live in, the clothes you
wear. It reflects your inner feeling. And
like all Christmas trees, you start to enjoy
it by getting the tree.
So far we've resisted the temptation of
buying an artificial tree. We still cling to
our old ways. The getting of a Christmas
tree has been a tradition in our family.
First when the kids were small it was
something to look forward to. Bundled up
for the cold, we'd all pile into the car
excited about getting a tree. Getting to
agree on a tree was not always an easy
task -- especially when youth seems to
forget the price and goes for the tallest
tree on the lot. Once we bought a
particular one because it had a real
authentic bird nest in it. The tree was put
up so that the nest was the center of
attraction and you can abe sure it had a
beautifully handblown glass bird sitting in
it for all to see.
We'd get the tree probably two to three
weeks before Christmas and stand it
upright in a corner outdoors so that it
would keep its shape. This worked fine
until one year it snowed and we forgot
about the tree until we had to bring it in --
then we had a dripping tree to decorate.
We now stand it up in the garage in a pail
of water so that it keeps fresh and dry.
One advantage of a big tree, of course,
is that you can always cut a bit off the
bottom and use the greens to decorate the
house. My Dad was a great one for holly
and pine over the mantelpiece and over the
windows and, of course, in that big
polished brass bowl on the sideboard.
Now that the kids have grown and all
have their own places we had the fun this
year of going for a tree with our year -old
grandson, Robby, and his Mom and Dad.
After all, Robby had to be introduced to
"getting a Christmas tree."
Over the years we've gotten trees just
about everywhere on the North Fork
where live trees could be cut, from
Talmage's in Riverhead to Terry's in
Orient, including Darts and Tuthills later
Moffats in Southold. We hit them all.
Sometimes we'd go in and cut our own
while other times we'd just go along the
lines of newly -cut trees and pick one out.
It would always be cold and windy it
seemed and there was always a discussion
as to the right tree for us. This one was too
big. That one was too small. This one
didn't have any limbs on this side. Yet
after all the turmoil the tree we finally
picked seemed to be the best yet.
A Schedule Change
The house was always busy the week
before Christmas and many times the tree
would go up only a day or so before
Christmas Eve. Now that the kids have
grown up the tree goes up at least a week
before Christmas so that we can enjoy it
through the holidays. As a mater of fact I
can remember as a child we never saw or
had an inkling of a tree until that glorious
Christmas morning when the dazzle of that
first sight implanted its memory in our
childish heads.
As long as I can remember we have
never used a Christmas tree stand per se.
Rather tradition has always found our tree
firmly held in a bucket of water with rocks
and wood blocks wedged around the trunk
of it. Last year a special trip had to be
made to the hardware store for a new
silvery galvanized bucket as the old one
had disappeared. It was a short squatty
bucket that was used for crabbing and
clamming last summer and was never
picked up without fond memories of
Christmas trees and their wonder.
This year, like so many years ago when
the kids were young, our eyes were bigger
than our living room and we had to cut off
the trunk so the top wouldn't hit the
ceiling. This done, my wife would suggest
which way it should go so as to be straight.
I pushed and shoved under the tree,
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NATURE'S DECORATED TREE - -As we trim the trees for our
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Photo by Paul Stoutenburgh
moving the rocks and blocks of wood in the
bucket to make sure the tree would hold its
stance of perfection.
Now my job was almost over. One thing
more I'd be responsible for. I'd string the
lights and garlands of gold. Each bulb was
tightened in its socket from its year's sleep
in the Cellar. A few would be replaced until
all shown brightly.
How quickly Christmas comes when you
plug in a string of colored lights! Starting
at the top where the gilded star goes, I'd
work the lights downward. The stool or
chair always seemed a bit wobbly and it
was a relief to gain a solid footing on the
floor to complete the job. Now my part of
the job was done.
their way out on the end of the limbs.
All this time there was a new fragrance
in the room -- the fragrance of evergreen.
The magic of Christmas is starting to
engulf the house. Lights. Long garlands of
gold. Colorful Christmas balls and a wide
array of ornaments from exotic birds to
almost forgotten Christmas decorations
from school days. Everything seems to
find its place on the tree.
By now it was late and that special spell
I spoke of captured the room as darkness
took over. The final touches, glittering
tinsel, hung one by one from limbs of the
tree. Slowly the tree would start to
shimmer as the lengths of silver radiated
the colors and hues of the trPP Thn en.11
was cast and the Christmas tree was done.
The Magic of Christmas The lights in the house were turned off,
Barbara, in between this and that of all except the ones on the tree. Yes, this
Christmas preparation, will hang the year's tree is the most beautiful tree of all.
ornaments, each with its special color and Each year that wonderful spirit of Christ -
design and most important -- its memory. mas seems to renew itself and makes us
Giant silver ones that were handed down young again, for it was when we were
from my folks have lost some of their young the images were formed that make
luster from two generation's use. The Christmas what it is today. A Merry
bigger balls will hang on the strong Christmas to you all.
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369