our perfect tree
Since he was four, my son has been the official Christmas tree chooser in our family.
I don't know how he does it, but he just walks onto the lot and immediately goes to the tree which always proves to be the perfect tree.
Oh, it's full of imperfections and flaws. It's perfect in its imperfections. (Aren't we all) The fact is, once the tree has all the ornaments and lights, it doesn't matter. It's our perfect tree and we love it. And my son, now eleven, has the fun of being the official perfect tree picker of the family. He's also now the official Decorator of the Tree, and my wife and I just sit back and watch. My wife has a little more trouble than I do with kibitzing, because her father had very specific rules as to how one must decorate a Christmas tree. I don't think much fun was had decorating trees when she was a kid.
Our tree may not get its picture in House Beautiful but my son get a great deal of pleasure from picking and decorating it. And we all join him in having fun. I figure it's good practice for life, and decision making as practiced by grownups.
