The Perfect Tree.

Last year, our Christmas tree had so much personality that we not only named it, but we devoted a large amount of our Christmas newsletter to describing it. So, I sent Dan and the girls out with great expectations to find the Perfect Tree. In the twenty-two years that Dan and I have been putting up trees, I've always tried to find the perfect tree. Perfect for us that is. Those of you that put up real trees know that as best you try to find the Perfect Tree, once you get it home, it does not always live up to such expectations.

I got one phone call from the tree lot. Dad won't let us get the tree we want. It's perfect, we love it, tell him to get it for us. I talk to Dan and he says that it is horrible. So horrible the tree seller is willing to sell it for cost, $20. I decide to pass on this gem of a tree. Dan knows better than to come home with a really ugly tree. I think the girls have this romantic idea about decorating a Charlie Brown tree.

Eventually they bring The tree home. I can tell right away that it's too small. We have ten foot ceilings. I'm grumpy. They're grumpy. And this poor tree. If this was a good tree, I'd hate to see the bad tree.

The tree does not endear itself to me once it's up either. Lights don't help. Ornaments don't help. It's still plain. I buy a huge bunch of fake hydrangeas to fill in the holes. There are so many holes at top it begins to look like it has an abnormal growth coming from the top. There isn't a straight top so the angel can't sit there. The decorating and trying to figure out what to do with it takes almost a week.

One of the problems is the foosball table. Believe me, trying to make a foosball table "work" in your living room is tricky. We don't have a family room and the kids insist on having it. They've lost enough over the past five years to force them to give that up too. Even though Canada, Georgia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo don't play often, the foosball table stays.

So, in addition to the tree being homely, there's a foosball table right out in the middle of things because the tree has taken it's place of honor in front of the window. I decide it's going to have to go to the garage but that is met with full out rebellion. The teams will play. I can't ruin the tournament.

I move the tree out and away from the window. Because the tree is small it's not a problem. I move a small couch and table to the corner. The foosball table moves over to where the small couch and table used to be. I do have to move one of the vintage pink asymmetrical chairs out into the entry way.

I am amazed as it all comes together and looks kind of cute. Kathleen steps in to finish decorating the tree. I remove the awful hydrangeas. Dan figures out a way to get the angel to stand up straight. With every single ornament we own on the tree it finally looks okay.

And of course, it is the Perfect Tree, for us.