Isn’t there a saying about how Americans rush to our entertainment…and then rush just as quickly to leave it?
I thought about that this week during my walks with Rory in the neighborhood.
Even in the days preceding Christmas, trees already lie abandoned on the edge of the sidewalk, awaiting our three-days-a-week garbage pickup.
How quickly we rush to Christmas, many people putting up their trees before Thanksgiving…and then scurry again to take them down once the presents are opened and faraway family and friends have returned to their homes.
When I was a child, we put the tree up a mere week before Christmas. I imagine that tradition was fueled in part by my mother’s fear of fire, since we always had a real tree. Watering it every day was my job, as was turning off the lights should the tree ever be unattended.
I carry my mother’s caution — and tradition — about live Christmas trees with me to this day.
When I do put up a tree, it’s usually five days or so before the holiday, but I like to leave it up until New Year’s Day, if it’s not too dried out. There’s something especially magical about a Christmas tree after all the hubbub is over, and you can simply sit and enjoy it’s color and sparkle.
It reminds me of the best of my childhood. And I’m in no rush to forget it.
Carla,
One other reason your Mom put the tree up a week before Christmas comes from the Catholic tradition of celebrating Advent prior to Christmas. It was thought that these days should be spent in preparation of the day and not meerly decorating for the day. Also the Catholic tradition promotes leaving the tree up until the Epithany. I also loved this time between when you could sit without distraction and soak up the beauty of the tree and its lights.