Hi All,
Here is the story behind the white tree with all the pink, purple and pale blue decorations... plus the string of lights that are little fairies. (BTW We call this tree "The Barbie Tree".)
We had always used an artificial green tree since we lived in Europe (starting with 1994). When we moved back to the UK from Germany in 2003, we gave the green fake tree away... it was getting a bit tatty. The first year we were in the UK I bought a real tree. The kids loved it.
The next year I took the kids with me to pick out another real tree. My son, who had turned 12 and become a real pain in the *ss, was horrible. He kept complaining about me dragging him along to look, he got lippy and finally said, "Get whatever you want, I don't give a sh*t." We immediately left the tree place without a tree, and I took him home and sent him to his room to wait for his father to get home from work. His little sister who was only 5 was very upset we didn't get a tree.
When my husband came home from work and I told him about the boy's tree shopping attitude he said, "If the boy doesn't give a sh*t, then go out a get whatever kind of tree and all new decorations to make the perfect tree for 5 year old girl. I don't care what you spend -- make her happy." So, we did and had loads of fun picking out the most lacy, frilly, girly things. And, we giggled the whole time we were decorating it.
When my son got up in the morning, came downstairs and saw the tree that his sister had pick out everything for... well, you can imagine the look on his face. Priceless!
When his friends came over he tried to keep them from seeing it -- most of them thought it was awesome. He couldn't even look at it that first year... I think it reminded him of what a jerk he'd been.
But, now it is kind of a tradition. A couple of years ago Julianne asked for a real tree, so we got one and put it up with our traditional decorations. Bryce (who was 16 at the time) was so upset that the Barbie tree wasn't up. LOL
A few weeks ago, he called from the States and asked Julianne to put the "Barbie tree" up for him to see when he comes home from college. I think that is why she was so insistent that we get the tree up "for her brother", asap.
I have to say that I liked the way my husband decided to handle the situation: If he doesn't care, then I'll see to it that he does!
A Heartwarming Christmas Tale -
MM