Tree Saga

Cut trees this year are a bit spendy.  Or at least they were.  For the size we like they were running $60. I guess there was a tree shortage.  I don't know.  I do know that there are a lot of free trees to be had now.  But even with that I still don't have a way to haul one from Yacolt or Amboy or wherever.  So we (meaning me) opted not to have a tree this year.  That money can buy three presents.
Well then we were gifted a used artificial tree.  Wonderful.  I was told the best part about an artificial tree is no needles on the ground.  Well that is true, but you still get green pieces of plastic the size of needles on the ground.  And those things are not good for animals or little kids.  But we are appreciative.
So we go to set it up.  I've never been around an artificial tree as it is being put together.  We figured it out.  And then it toppled.  Hmmmmm.  Well we did it upside down.  Dismantled it and did it the right way and it stayed up much better.  And that was great.  I was leaving the decorating for the next day.
Ha.  My plans, God laughs.  The little woman threw a temper tantrum and knocked the tree over.  Ummm no.  I dismantled it and put it back in the boxes.  I do not want to put my ornaments on it and then have them broken because someone got mad and can't control how they respond to it.
We hit this weekend and the little man asked to please put the tree up.  The little woman hasn't thrown anymore temper tantrums and promised to leave the tree alone.  Well I get out the boxes and start putting it together.  Only this time we already have some boxes wrapped to go under.  Halfway through and I realized this is not going to work.  We will not be able to get in and out of the front door.  This tree is wide.  Maybe if we didn't have two couches and two chairs we could have made it work some where else in the living room.  But not this way.
Again I took it down.  Looked at all the green plastic needles on the floor and said a blessing.  So this year we have no Christmas tree.  It's not the first time and probably won't be the last.  But we do have a beautiful stack of wrapped gifts and we are grateful.