charlie-brown-christmas-tree

(Order your own at christmaslightsetc.com!)

So, it’s been decided that Sunday will be the date of purchase of the tree for the Second Annual Prince George’s County Christmas Throwdown.

I can’t believe I’ve actually been in this place long enough to have my second Christmas here. Insane.

Anyway, I’m not positive of the game plan yet, but here’s what’s not going to happen: Last year.

Getting a tree last year was a very last-minute decision. It wasn’t something either of us talked about until probably the middle of December when I finally said I didn’t want to be stuck here with absolutely no Christmas in the apartment. I missed my family, I was having a hard time with being so far away, I needed something.

It all started with me getting off the Beltway in the wrong direction.

When a story starts with, “I got off the Beltway in the wrong direction,” things rarely improve. That’s free advice.

We found ourselves (in a sleet storm, no less) heading on MD 97 toward Wheaton (instead of Silver Spring). All we needed was a tree, and a store to buy all of the crap that goes with it. Wheaton had a Target (which, God, what you don’t know at the time — I had a Target five miles from my house the entire time, and didn’t know until two months after this) and, I rationalized, enough places to get a tree.

On the way to Target, we passed four lots. Easy. But it didn’t seem prudent to buy the tree and have it sitting in the back of the car while we went to buy lights, ornaments and the like. So, it seemed sensible to go to Wheaton’s Target, buy the stuff and then go buy the tree.

You know, wouldn’t it be great if things really were that simple? Nothing’s that simple, unfortunately. The Target in Wheaton was out of, well, everything. And packed with angry, angry people. And angry, angry associates. And angry, angry managers.

We found the only open register (I’m serious. The only open one.) in electronics, and I start unloading the cart. At this point, my patience is frazzled, Brandon’s patience is frazzled and here’s a manager who looks at me and says, “Five items of less.”

There’s no sign to really tell you that. Anywhere. No sign at any point shows five items or less in electronics.

Before I could open my mouth, Brandon loses it. I turn pale. Customers stare. The manager folds like a cheap lawn chair and we leave with two pages packed with boxes of ornaments, lights and a red, glittery star.

I’m pretty sure at this point, if I hadn’t already spent the money on tree accessories, Brandon would have said to hell with a tree. The Target experience was that exhausting. But I wouldn’t hear it. I pulled into the first lot (on the same side of the road) we came to, and started browsing.

It didn’t take long to find the tree at all. It was somewhat lopsided, but sturdy, with soft needles so it wouldn’t poke us as we carried it up the four flights of stairs to the apartment. It was a shade over 6 feet tall, too. Pretty much perfect for 1,000-square-feet of apartment dwelling.

I was so proud of the tree as we decorated it. It was my first, real Christmas tree. My very own actual, live tree you had to water. I’d never had this. Not as a child, not when I was married, never. It was a real tree! The way pioneers did it!

And, now, it’s time for the 2009 edition.

Saturday morning, I’m going to avoid the insanity and pick up a few more ornaments for it. I’ll spend Saturday night cleaning the area where it goes and getting the accessories out of the closet and organized. And Sunday, with a game plan already in order, we’ll go pick up a tree and spend the afternoon getting it ready. Maybe that’ll turn the switch on, and I’ll feel a little more Christmasy. I could use a little Christmas right now, that’s for sure.

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