Friday, January 12, 2007

I really *meant* to take the tree down on the Epiphany.

Sigh.

So, I didn't take down my Christmas tree last weekend. I was planning to do it this weekend. It didn't seem all that urgent--it is an artificial tree, after all.

I need to stress that we do not have any pets. Nor do we have any children.

On Wednesday night Matter-Eater Lad and I arrived home to find the tree on its side. I didn't get any pictures of it in that state, because I was far more worried about our ornaments, particularly the ornaments that my parents gave us as a wedding present. Amazingly, very few of the ornaments broke, and almost none of the wedding-present ornaments were affected.

Here is what the floor looked like after we lifted the tree up:


We took off all of the remaining ornaments right away, which meant that they got piled on the table where I had been winding yarn:



We got a set of bride's ornaments from someone other than my parents, and a few of those broke. Also, the bride and groom my aunt gave us for Christmas that year were on the bottom of the fallen tree, and they didn't survive:



The church my parents gave us just needs a tiny bit of roof work:



The egg my mom painted for me when I was little smashed a bit, but on the plain bottom, so that can probably be salvaged:




That was really the extent of the damage.
Amazingly, quite a few glass ornaments from the bottom of the tree survived:


The garlic survived--now I know what Superman was protecting it from:



Superman was the only ornament that went flying--he was across the room on the opposite side of the tree.

I have learned a few things:

1) Always anchor your tree to the wall;
2) Mercury-glass type ornaments are much more fragile than other types of glasses ornaments;
3) Always take your tree down by the Epiphany.

5 comments:

Grendel said...

What in the name of god is the epiphany? Or pardon me, Epiphany, since it's a proper noun. . . Let me guess, something more Christian than Christmas trees. . .? :)

Kate said...

It is the 12th day of Christmas, a/k/a the day the wise men arrived. Traditionally, that is the end of the Christmas season and when decorations are supposed to come down.

Kate said...

This is a mostly accurate description:

http://www.crivoice.org/cy12days.html

Anonymous said...

You forgot lesson #4 - always have a Superman ornament. At the very least he'll protect the garlic ornament, which, of course, everyone has....

:)

Grendel said...

Huh. Learn something new everyday. :) Although, I'd like to explain the whole "coming down" bit to some people. The day after Halloween is far to early, and yes, I'd like the damn things down before Easter too. But then, I'm not exactly a Christmas person. :)