The Missing Tree
The day I bought the baby grand
A Christmas custom vanished.
The tree which made our room expand
Was now utterly banished.
Instead of boughs of twinkling lights
The twinkling, turned tinkling onto keys.
A shinning plastic tree, displayed at nights
Atop the black lid, did not quite please.
I piled the Christmas gifts underside,
Consoled myself with proper tone.
The better compromise was implied
As melody ascended the throne.
One way families connect at Christmas is through the Christmas tree. For some the picking of the tree is going to a tree farm and actually choosing and cutting down a tree, for others it is visiting a lot and picking a tree, while still others dust off the artificial tree in the closet and bring it back to it's original shape.
Then there is the decorating. Old favorite ornaments come back, new ones are sometimes handmade from clay or paper. All of these traditions bring connection which is a most important story of Christmas.
When we moved the baby grand piano into our small house it dominated the living room. While we no longer purchased a real, floor to ceiling tree, we turned to making more music at Christmas. Now the grandchildren hammer out Jingle Bells as soon as they walk through the door.
No matter what connects us to loved ones, gathering, feasting, or gift giving, it helps to slow down and enjoy the moments. Look at faces, feel the excitement of others, hold a hand, or listen more intently, these acts of turning outward will strengthen connection.
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