Taking out the Tree

Taking out the Tree
Oil on canvas, 4x4 inch

One of the best things about having my parents stay so long for the holidays, is that I have heard stories I had never heard before about their childhood.  One such story was told by my mother.  Each Christmas eve, my mom's parents would take the kids out into the woods to pick out a cedar tree to use for their Christmas tree.  After dragging it back to the house, they would all decorate that tree in preparation for the coming day.  As a child, I remember that grandma's trees were always short and fat - bigger around the base than any other tree I saw.  Now, I know why!  My grandma always had the bubble lights on her tree, along with the big glass bulb lights - they were always hot to the touch.  I loved watching the bubbles rise along the glass tubes, it was magical.  Once all the Christmas get togethers were over, and decorations put away, the last chore would be to take the tree out and throw it in the pond - because "trees made good shelter for the catfish".  This is painting number 373 in 373 days and Day 8 in the current 30 day painting challenge.