Cooperative Living November/December 2022 - 30

RURAL LIVING
O Tannenbaum
" The lady who won the pink tree
never picked it up, " the fellow said.
by Margo Oxendine, Contributing Columnist
Silver tree, tiny white lights and a pink flamingo
T
hey're sneaking
up, and they're
about to
pounce: The holidays.
If it hasn't already,
the madness will soon
begin.
So, I guess it's time to talk about
Christmas trees. Some folks who love
the holidays put up their tree on
Thanksgiving and leave it up until
January. Many people believe Jan. 6,
Epiphany, is the last day you're supposed
to have a tree decorating the place. By
then, though, some are so used to seeing
it, they decide to leave it right where it is
for a while longer. It is not so much fun
to take down a tree and its ornaments
as it is to put them up in the first place.
Whether you prefer an artificial tree
or a live one, is your decision. Some
artificial trees look quite lifelike these
days. If you prefer a live tree, care must
be taken, and lots of vacuuming must
be done. But the aroma is divine.
The year my mother died, I did not
feel like having a tree. It was all too sad.
But, one afternoon when I was out,
a friend came by and set up a tree,
completely decorated.
What a friend! A scintilla
of the Christmas Spirit imbued me.
The tree I have now is perfectly divine
and suits me completely.
A few years ago, I went to a " festival "
of trees, where we placed silent bids on
the offerings. As soon as I spied it across
the room, I raced for it. It was a silver tree,
about three feet tall, wrapped in lovely
pink ribbon, festooned with tiny white
lights, and featuring various shades of
pink balls and stars. A pink and silver
tree! Who lusted after it more than I?
No one!
I bid every dime I could afford on
the conical confection. I kept my eye
on it throughout lunch. Just before the
auction ended, a woman strolled up and
outbid me by twice as much. My heart
fell. The tree meant for me would not
be mine. How dare she?
I drove home dejected. I decorated
with " Christmas stuff, " but no tree.
Nothing could top or take the place of
the one I'd lost.
Christmas came and went. Along about
the middle of March, I got a phone call
from the venue where the tree festival was.
" We want it out of here. You were
the next highest bidder. Would you
maybe still want it? "
Would I? You bet! I drove down
that day and we loaded the tree into
my car. Surely, a Christmas tree occupying
the back seat of a car in March raised a
few eyebrows. I did not care. My tree
was on its way home.
Since the overall theme was pink
and silver, it lent itself perfectly to my
collection of flamingo ornaments. What
could be more fitting than flamingos?
But, to be truly tropical, the tree
needed a bit of turquoise. As fate would
have it, a friend made me a turquoise
origami crane. It's supposed to be good
luck. I was lucky to get it. It now serves
as the tree-topper.
Every winter afternoon, I turn on the
twinkly white lights, and it is absolutely,
wonderfully uplifting. It even came with
a little hot pink satin tree skirt. I only
wish I had a real skirt to match it.
Nowadays, I am one of those people
whose tree goes up at Thanksgiving
and stays up until Jan. 6. I'm happy for
months. And no vacuuming is required. 
To order Margo's book, " A Party of One, "
call 540-468-2147 Mon-Wed., 9-5,
or email therecorderoffice@gmail.com.
CL WHEREZ IT?
PHOTO COURTESY PRINCE GEORGE ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE
28 ● Cooperative Living ●
November-December 2022
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Cooperative Living November/December 2022

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