We started our day yesterday in Phoenix; there was last minute shopping to be done and I had a plan. Ed was the chauffer, I was the one darting in and out of stores. Some of them, like Best Buy and Ross, he joined me in. We had three hours sleep the night before and were running on Dunkin'. We had to be in Tucson before six because we were having dinner at my mother's house with my friend Kim and her son Ty. I was hoping we'd make it.
We did make it, skating in at half past five. Thankfully, my mother had EVERYTHING done. The table was set, the gravy was on the stove, the salad was made, the garlic bread was buttered and garlicked up and ready to hit the oven, and the house was filled with Christmas; music, decorations, cookies and more! Dinner was great, we had a lot of laughs and Kim and Ty left after desert, as Ty (being a sixteen-year-old) had friends to visit.
I had presents to wrap and stuff to get ready for today. I was tired but had to keep going. And if my mother could do it at her age, who was I to wimp out? That's when the tree trimming started. And by tree trimming, I mean my bright idea to deck out three trees (each about 18" tall), one for each of my nephews, with money. WTF was I thinking???
With the help of Ed and my mother, we got it done. Ed was in charge of making the money into little accordian folds, I was in charge of wrapping ribbon around them and my mother was in charge of tying them on the branches of the trees. I put fifty dollars on each tree and after tree number one, my hand was cramping from tying the tiny little ribbons. I felt like I was working in a factory in a third world country. My mother tied almost every one of these little dollar bill bundles onto the trees.
Fourty-five little bundles of dollar bills (five were used in the star), with glistening red ribbon, placed among the lights and pinecones. My Aunt Ronni used to do this for me over thirty-five years ago - creatively placing money on an item that became my gift. I had such memories of getting those gifts that I was hoping my nephews would love it just as much. What a labor of love!
It took quite a while, but it was beautiful when finished. See how fast things go when everyone pulls together? That's the Christmas spirit! Or should I say the Christmas sweatshop spirit; Hey! - get back over here - you're not done with your accordion folds. You, over there - speed it up a little! We have to get this thing done by midnight. One more screw-up like that missy and you'll never tie dollar bill bundles in this town again!
The pièce de résistance of the whole tree was my Origami star. Made from five one dollar bills, it completed the whole look.
And because it's Christmas, I am going to choose to believe that money does grow on trees. 'Tis the season in which miracles happen, no?
So Merry Christmas to all (and for all my multi-cultural readers)...
Season’s Greetings!
Happy Holidays!
Happy Chanukah!
Joyeux Noël!
Bada Din Mubarak Ho
Nollaig Shona Dhuit
Buon Natale!
Feliz Navidad!
Maligayang Pasko!
Nadolig Llawen!
and to all a good night!!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO: Christmas Time Is Here
2 YEARS AGO: Commanding Attention Once Again
3 YEARS AGO: A Meal Of Delicious Cheesy Goodness And A Day Of Good Delicious Cheeriness
4 YEARS AGO: The Merry. The Moments. The Memories.
5 YEARS AGO: I Love Your Bawwwlls!!
6 YEARS AGO: Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
We did make it, skating in at half past five. Thankfully, my mother had EVERYTHING done. The table was set, the gravy was on the stove, the salad was made, the garlic bread was buttered and garlicked up and ready to hit the oven, and the house was filled with Christmas; music, decorations, cookies and more! Dinner was great, we had a lot of laughs and Kim and Ty left after desert, as Ty (being a sixteen-year-old) had friends to visit.
I had presents to wrap and stuff to get ready for today. I was tired but had to keep going. And if my mother could do it at her age, who was I to wimp out? That's when the tree trimming started. And by tree trimming, I mean my bright idea to deck out three trees (each about 18" tall), one for each of my nephews, with money. WTF was I thinking???
With the help of Ed and my mother, we got it done. Ed was in charge of making the money into little accordian folds, I was in charge of wrapping ribbon around them and my mother was in charge of tying them on the branches of the trees. I put fifty dollars on each tree and after tree number one, my hand was cramping from tying the tiny little ribbons. I felt like I was working in a factory in a third world country. My mother tied almost every one of these little dollar bill bundles onto the trees. 
Fourty-five little bundles of dollar bills (five were used in the star), with glistening red ribbon, placed among the lights and pinecones. My Aunt Ronni used to do this for me over thirty-five years ago - creatively placing money on an item that became my gift. I had such memories of getting those gifts that I was hoping my nephews would love it just as much. What a labor of love! 
It took quite a while, but it was beautiful when finished. See how fast things go when everyone pulls together? That's the Christmas spirit! Or should I say the Christmas sweatshop spirit; Hey! - get back over here - you're not done with your accordion folds. You, over there - speed it up a little! We have to get this thing done by midnight. One more screw-up like that missy and you'll never tie dollar bill bundles in this town again!The pièce de résistance of the whole tree was my Origami star. Made from five one dollar bills, it completed the whole look.
And because it's Christmas, I am going to choose to believe that money does grow on trees. 'Tis the season in which miracles happen, no?So Merry Christmas to all (and for all my multi-cultural readers)...
Season’s Greetings!
Happy Holidays!
Happy Chanukah!
Joyeux Noël!
Bada Din Mubarak Ho
Nollaig Shona Dhuit
Buon Natale!
Feliz Navidad!
Maligayang Pasko!
Nadolig Llawen!
and to all a good night!!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO: Christmas Time Is Here
2 YEARS AGO: Commanding Attention Once Again
3 YEARS AGO: A Meal Of Delicious Cheesy Goodness And A Day Of Good Delicious Cheeriness
4 YEARS AGO: The Merry. The Moments. The Memories.
5 YEARS AGO: I Love Your Bawwwlls!!
6 YEARS AGO: Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
3 comments:
Happy Holidays Nice trees
What a great idea! I bet your nephews loved the trees.
Doris said you never said whether they liked the money trees or not.
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