charlie brown xmas tree

My mother told me that the deal she struck with my father when they married was that they'd always have a "real" Christmas tree. He hasn't had to hold up his end; she just goes and buys one.

Like it or not, you become your parents in one way or another. You start telling that dumb joke or worse, you start using the same "I told you so" retorts. I have always honored the "real" Christmas tree requirement.

This year I did my mother one better. My tree is not only "real" --it's alive in a pot complete with roots. It's a mini dwarfed by the neighboring palms in our window, but it's as real as real gets and now lit and decorated.

My plan is to keep it alive and make it a Christmas guest year in and year out. I hope I can keep it alive longer than the orchids we get as gifts. Orchids never grow old in our care.

Merry Merry.