Who Does the Work?

My kids decided they wanted to GO BIG this year with the Christmas tree. "Let's get a 9 to 10 foot tree this year!" they begged. "It'll be fun to decorate and we can use ALL our ornaments!"

The thought of getting out all of our decorations didn't appeal to me. Some of them should have been disposed of years ago...but then there are the treasured bulbs from friends and family, not to mention the ornaments the kids made at school throughout the years--the hand prints from pre-school, the framed pictures from elementary school, the snow globe ornament my youngest made last year......maybe a BIG tree wasn't a bad idea.

The complaining started as we struggled the get the tree through the front door. Once we had it in the house the kids starred up at it and said in unison "This is a BIG tree!"

"Let's get to it," I said as I called the pizza delivery number. I envisioned a few hours of Christmas carols, pizza, and hot chocolate as we decorated the tree.

At first the kids seemed thrilled to join in on our annual ritual, even if it meant a few more ornaments would be broken this year because of the bigger tree. As a matter of fact, everything was going well until the pizzas came.

We took a break to eat, and then I told them: "Okay, let's get back to the tree--we have a lot of decorating to do!" What followed were a litany of complaints of stomachs being too full and the tree being too big. "But, this is the tree you guys wanted!" I reminded them. "Well, we didn't know it would take all night to decorate," chimed in my youngest, "Anyway...Hannah Montana is about to come on and I want to see it." My oldest simply disappeared to his room....he said he was going to check email messages...I've heard this before and knew I wouldn't see him for the rest of the evening. Dad had a meeting to get to, so there I stood before this huge tree with 10 bulbs hanging and 500 to go!!

I thought of just leaving the tree as it was and waiting to see if anyone would decorate it. But, I have tried this approach with overflowing trash cans, so I knew it wouldn't work.

I did the work...I decorated the tree.

This morning, when my family got their first good look at this decorated monstrosity in our living room, they applauded my effort.

"See mom," said my youngest, "I told you the bigger tree was better!"