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MineralMan

(146,286 posts)
Sat Nov 23, 2019, 01:50 PM Nov 2019

I just finished erecting our Holiday Tree in our living room.

That was prompted by my wife saying, "Maybe we should put the tree up before Thanksgiving this year." Her word, as always, is my command.

My job ends with the re-assembly of the 25-year-old artificial tree and the re-spreading of its hundreds of branchlets, along with the bringing upstairs of the bins of decorative items stored in the unused bedroom in our basement. Once that is done, I relinquish all responsibility for the rest of our holiday decorations. And there are many, many of them.

My wife celebrates all and sundry year-end Winter holidays with decorations. All traditions, both religious and profane, are represented by items gathered here and there for the almost three decades we have been together. I leave all of that to her, because that is her preference, since I tend to make disparaging comments about the religious aspects of all those holidays. She's an atheist, too, but is more generous in her tolerance for religious symbolism than I am.

It's quite a display by the time she finishes pulling everything out of those bins and placing them here and there, and after I have taken the bins, empty, back to the basement. But one thing is certain: Any person entering our home between Thanksgiving and New Years Day will find a tradition familiar to that person represented somewhere or anywhere in the house. I'm not sure what the plural of menorah is, but we have a plurality of them. A variety of creches also can be found, along with Kwanza decorations obtained in various places. Winter solstice is also represented, as are a variety of Hindu deities, particularly the more colorful of them. There are Islamic ornaments on the tree, as well as many somewhat profane ornaments depicting, well, profane subject matter. A spectacularly naked and modified miniature Barbie Doll tops the Holiday Tree in a decidedly unangelic fashion. I have a lovely image of Darwin, etched on glass, which hangs from the tree, along with various Darwin fish and other symbols of atheism.

It is a Holiday Tree. Whatever your holiday might be, you will find it ready to be celebrated in our home. You are welcome here, as long as you understand that we are merely acknowledging all those holidays, rather than celebrating them ourselves. If some tradition offends you, it's probably best to look away from the items connected with that tradition, because they're all there and may well be located near an item connected with your tradition. We are atheists and do not discriminate among religious traditions.

With that, I wish everyone in the Religion Group a "Happy Holiday!"

17 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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I just finished erecting our Holiday Tree in our living room. (Original Post) MineralMan Nov 2019 OP
Do you suppose you could post a photo of your holiday tree? The Velveteen Ocelot Nov 2019 #1
Perhaps. Once my wife has completed her decorating, MineralMan Nov 2019 #3
... Major Nikon Nov 2019 #15
LOL! MineralMan Nov 2019 #16
It sounds awesome, when I read the title, I thought you dewsgirl Nov 2019 #2
No. It is an erection, not an ejection. MineralMan Nov 2019 #4
So you just got finished with an erection? Voltaire2 Nov 2019 #6
How long did all of that take? SeattleVet Nov 2019 #7
Well, my actual erection of the tree took about half an hour. MineralMan Nov 2019 #8
That sounds about average. SeattleVet Nov 2019 #9
Hi MineralMan - Happy Holiday to you as well!! Pendrench Nov 2019 #5
What a nice tribute to Jesus, our Savior SCantiGOP Nov 2019 #10
Speak only for yourself. MineralMan Nov 2019 #11
And Here's Our Holiday Tree Photo MineralMan Nov 2019 #12
Very nice - looks great! Pendrench Nov 2019 #13
Cats! hurl Nov 2019 #14
We haven't put ours up yet The Genealogist Nov 2019 #17

The Velveteen Ocelot

(115,674 posts)
1. Do you suppose you could post a photo of your holiday tree?
Sat Nov 23, 2019, 01:53 PM
Nov 2019

It sounds oddly magnificent and I'd like to see it.

MineralMan

(146,286 posts)
4. No. It is an erection, not an ejection.
Sat Nov 23, 2019, 02:03 PM
Nov 2019

It's standing tall, centered in the living room picture window. We have one of those, since our home is a 1950s tract-style home. Picture windows were all the fashion back then, impractical as they are in -20 degree weather. N. B.: All profane ornaments can only be seen from inside.

SeattleVet

(5,477 posts)
7. How long did all of that take?
Sat Nov 23, 2019, 04:38 PM
Nov 2019

If it was over 4 hours I think that you are supposed to contact someone.

MineralMan

(146,286 posts)
8. Well, my actual erection of the tree took about half an hour.
Sat Nov 23, 2019, 04:47 PM
Nov 2019

My wife's part of the task, though, took somewhat longer.

MineralMan

(146,286 posts)
12. And Here's Our Holiday Tree Photo
Sun Nov 24, 2019, 02:24 PM
Nov 2019

Sam, our lab rescue beagle, has photobombed this image and steals the scene, as usual.

Pendrench

(1,356 posts)
13. Very nice - looks great!
Sun Nov 24, 2019, 05:31 PM
Nov 2019

We just finished putting up our tree....I expect that our cat will be attempting to scale it any minute now.

Tim

hurl

(938 posts)
14. Cats!
Tue Nov 26, 2019, 07:02 PM
Nov 2019

Our cats always loved climbing the tree and knocking off ornaments. I thought it might be a great deterrent to sprinkle cayenne pepper all over the artificial tree. Of course the cats were undeterred, and for several years after, assembling the tree induced sneezing fits.

The Genealogist

(4,723 posts)
17. We haven't put ours up yet
Fri Nov 29, 2019, 11:19 PM
Nov 2019

We used to put it up Friday after Thanksgiving, back in the heady days when we both had a four day weekend. Those days are long gone, alas. We got a new one this year, a little table-top model from Target, as Eula the Cat and full-sized trees don't mix well.

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