Not our tree

UNCLE ELMER AND CHRISTMAS TREES

Epiphany was last Saturday, so today we finally got around to the yearly ritual of taking down the Christmas tree. In the past couple of years I have tried to make the process as painless as possible. Instead of packing the branches back in their original box (I suppose you've figured out we have an artificial tree) I place them in a systematic order in large plastic garbage bags. That way, I will not have to spend inordinate amounts of time next December reshaping the tree to give it that nice full look.

But, perhaps because of my age, I found myself wishing that I could resort to the Uncle Elmer solution. He covered their fully decorated tree with plastic and carried up to the attic. Then, next year, he carried it down, removed the plastic, and with a few minor adjustments of ornaments the tree was ready. Voile'!

Sadly, the entry to our loft is too narrow to accept a tree, and since we do not have stairs I can't figure out how I would climb a step ladder while embracing a fully decorated tree anyway. Such is life.