Falling for Christmas

One memorable Christmas a few years back, I was away at college eagerly awaiting the weekend when Christmas break began. I had one organic chemistry final to power through, then I was on my way to two weeks of freedom. This time of year family from all over the country return home to celebrate the holiday season. I have an older brother who was out a couple days earlier from his college than mine and home already. My parents had already set up the Christmas tree, this is usually done on my Dad's birthday on the 12th of December (12/12) as an annual tradition in our family. Truly an appropriate day to perform this special task as my Dad loves Christmas, especially all the Christmas lights.

This year they had done the same and had obtained a particularly large tree. Whenever we select a tree the family together weighs each contender's merits carefully. The tree needs to be symmetrical, have numerous sturdy branches to hold some of our more solid ornaments, but also have enough pine needles spaced appropriately that the tree looks full. Absolutely no gaps allowed except in one small spot as it can be hidden in the back against the wall near the fireplace. It is also of vital importance that the tree be tall. I feel my Dad becomes overly eager, which is quite frankly infectious to the rest of us, and tries to pick a tree that will outdo the year prior. So, of course, we have a 9 foot tall tree as this just fits under our 10 foot tall ceiling at home.

This sets the stage for me, as I'm sitting merrily at my college desk studying enantiomers, I notice I have a missed call from my brother with a voicemail. I also had a text from my older cousin who was unbeknownst to me hanging out with him.

I open my phone to find a voicemail has been left. Checking this I hear both the voice of my cousin with my brother interjecting "Oh no Carolyn. Oh no, we're in big trouble. Biiiig trouble!” *Laughter and giggles* “We left the house and when we came back the tree had fallen!”

My cousin has a giggle that is infectious, which is very endearing from a large bearded man that enjoys playing heavy metal music. I immediately call them both back after hearing their message to hear the damage report. The tree this year was so large they'd even slung a rope around the top of it and ran it around one of the pillars we have in the living room to secure it. Alas, this was not enough to stabilize it. The tree had fallen on its side and in the process a long cherished Snoopy ornament had perished in the fall, along with a couple others. Surprisingly though, most of the ornaments had survived. I laughed with them after confirming my favorite ornaments, like the ceramic moose, were alive. I felt privileged that they had chosen not only to call me first out of all the people they could have relayed this information to, but also their voicemail full of doom had wound up being not so terrible in the end. It honestly was hilarious knowing nothing truly meaningful had been broken and is a cherished Christmas memory of mine.

After the call I had surveyed the text my cousin had sent me of the tree in all its glory, lying haphazardly on its side, tinsel askew and ornaments littering its perimeter on the floor. One of our two dogs at home was cautiously sniffing the fallen pine curiously. This photo was used in the following year’s Christmas card which alas has been lost to time, although the memory still lives on vividly in my mind. The tree was eventually righted, the tree stand screws tightened and secured. The story was shared far and wide in the Sumner News Network as we dub our important family news gossip channels. Suffice to say it was a memorable year for me and not one I’ll soon forget.