Many years we have been successful buying a tree on Christmas Eve day. This year we had no choice since I did not arrive home until mid-afternoon on the 23rd.
First, I checked the local garden store where we have been going for the last few years. They always have dozens of Fraser firs for us last-minute shoppers. As I read the posts on its Facebook page, I blanched. They had sold out on December 21 while I was watching Serafina in A Celtic Nutcracker in New England. Well, no problem; there were other options.
I googled Christmas trees. There was a market on Euclid Avenue in University Circle. A Yelp reviewer sang its praises. There was no answer when I called. Most people probably would have seen this an ominous omen. Me? Not so much. It just meant that they were helping all the other tree-seeking folk. Off we went. As we approached, My Sweetie pronounced those disheartening words, “He’s closed.” Worse yet there was not even a needle left on the ground.
We decide to return to the Heights via Lake View Cemetery. Would they miss the the top eight feet of this holly? It was already decorated with lovely red berries.
On up the road there were several evergreen wreaths with red bows. Who needed to go shopping?
Wait! We could go to the big white tents on Green Road. On the way I would scope out another lot we went to several years ago.
Yes! They had trees. Then My Sweetie pointed out that the sign was leaning up against the building and that there was no one there.
No worries. We still had the tents. Oops! Nothing. No tent. No trees, No one.
Onto the YMCA assured that they would have trees since every other year they had not sold out. None? I could not believe it.
Were we really not going to have a tree this year? But we had to have one since one grandchild especially loves our decorations: the sparkly pine cones that snap onto the white lights and the monarch butterflies illuminated by other lights.
My Sweetie and I began to brainstorm. What did we already own that we could turn into a tree? We could stack up books in a tree shape but then how would we decorate it. My Sweetie decided that the perfect solution was to bring in last year’s desiccated tree.
Explanation required: after the holidays we place our tree close to our bird feeders so that the birds have shelter during the rest of winter. In the spring the plan is to chip and shred it for our woodland trail. Obviously, the plan was not executed this past summer.
We started laughing as we came up with one idea after another: spray it green but would the paint stick? Buy a truckload of garland from somewhere and wind it around and around the tree, hoping that most of the brown needles had already fallen. This especially appealed to us who reuse and recycle everything we can.
I looked at the lovely evergreens in the landscaping around the mall. Who would miss the top of one of them? After all, there were so many.
That idea was quickly discarded. Jail would not be a pleasant place to spend Christmas Eve although there might be a tree there. Perhaps we would be allowed to bring our presents to put under it.
What about a Norfolk Island Pine? I had already done that one year when no one was coming to stay. We had resolved to return home and start calling any florist or nursery that was still open.
Wait! My Sweetie suggested we head to Home Depot. So off we went with hope in our hearts. As we enter two men are carrying a tree to check out. Was it the last one?
We walked towards the garden center as fast as our tired bodies could carry us. Hallelujah! There were several to select from. The lone Fraser fir, our favorite for several years, was not even a Charlie Brown tree. Face it. It was half dead.
Noble firs? Didn’t I read an article extolling the virtues of them? I walked over and stuck my nose in it. Definitely a contender. Not the same as a Fraser but mighty fine.
I hung onto it while My Sweetie retrieved a cart.
After it was in the cart, I ran outside in the bitter cold to look at wreaths. They looked great. A large one was just right for the front door, a medium for the back, and a smaller one for the basement entrance.
And they all were on sale...of course.
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