Detail of the Christmas Tree I– 2007 – C. Hamsher
As I hit the halfway point on the Holiday Gift Guide it occurred to me that the best gift from any Christmas has always been the memories the season brings.
This came to me as the modern lady and I were driving to Huntington today to pick up our Christmas tree at Lavalette Nursery.
This is a rediscovered tradition in our family. I was raised in Huntington and every Christmas I remember all of us piling into the car and driving up 5th Street hill to pick out the tree. The place was simply magic – the brisk air mixed with the smell of fresh-cut pine trees only served to increase the excitement of knowing that we would then go back home and pull out all of those old boxes from attic that contained the decorations.
We started getting our trees at Lavalette again last year after searching high and low for a flocked tree. I had remembered then that Lavalette did flocking years ago and after the modern lady made a phone call it was confirmed and we had one on order. It was simply gorgeous.
We decided to do the same this year. As we drove down I-64 today I could not help but recall all of those Christmas trees as a kid and some of the same excitement I used to have back then returned.
Now let me be clear – I sometimes pride myself on being a bit of a curmudgeon. I tend to bah-humbug a bit and the family has come to expect it. It is really not that I don’t like Christmas – but more simply that I am a creature of habit and any holiday seriously wrecks my routine.
But today I enjoyed going to get the tree. We even stopped at the Huntington Mall on the way back and did some Christmas shopping for the kids and I enjoyed that too.
When we got back home we pulled out all of those old boxes with the decorations and trimmed the tree. I could have done without the frustration which came while untangling the lights and tinsel but the rest was nice – very nice. We both tend to stay quite busy and time together just doing stuff does not come too often. We had a good day and the tree is, once again, gorgeous.
Detail of the Christmas Tree II– 2007 – C. Hamsher
But more important, we now have a new memory – the memory of today. One of decorating the tree, buying the presents , laughing, loving and just being together.
It will likely be the best gift I receive this year and certainly will be the one which will last the longest.
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