As far as family traditions go, one of my favourites has always been decorating the Christmas tree. I remember as a kid, the excitement of pulling it out the box (I love the smell of plastic in the morning), and staring up in awe as it loomed over me like a giant redwood. Only to discover years later, that giant redwood became a bonsai as the tables were turned once I hit my teens.
Many is the time I recall climbing up inside its branches and escaping its carnivorous plastic foliage relatively unharmed, which is more than I can say for Batman’s Boy Wonder sidekick, Robin. Every year I got a Batman and Robin playset with a Batmobile, Batboat and Copter, I would play with the tiny figurines inside the tree. And without fail, that tree would devour poor Robin without a trace within minutes of pulling him out of the box. I can’t say for certain how many Robin’s were consumed by that tree, but by the time I was a teenager the branches were only held together by sticky electrical tape and tiny skeletons.
Seeing as our boy was only 6 months old for his first Christmas, we decided to hold off on getting a tree until the next year. Well, it’s been a whole year in the making, but finally the day has come that we get to begin our new tradition as a family. And his interest and excitement in this monumental event was not at all disappointing. Even at 17 months, he’s a hands on helpful little elf, rolled up his sleeves and got on with the job. His exuberance at marvelling his handiwork was like watching a fan at a Katy Perry concert.
And little does he know that in 24 days time, there will be wonderful surprises laid under that tree that will add a whole new dimension and purpose to what that tree represents. And maybe the tiny Robin voices in my head will finally be silenced when I see the joy and excitement my boy will display at Christmas, this and every year to come.
COMMENTS
0 Responses to My First Christmas Tree