the age old question

While decorating the Christmas tree, does one decorate the sides that no one sees (the ones facing walls) or just the ones everyone looks at?

Tonight, dear readers, that was my dilemma. I've asked many people this question and the answers are split nearly 50/50. Of course, there may have been a note of hysteria when I asked it, which often leads people to agree with me whether they actually do or not, so perhaps my sampling isn't all that accurate.

I am of the opinion that you only need to decorate those sides that you see. Here is my reasoning:

1) For nearly my whole life, my Christmas trees have always been placed in a corner or against a wall. This to me says right there, "I don't want you to decorate me all the way around." It just sets the stage from the get go and who am I to argue with the mighty Christmas tree?

2) I weigh more then fifty pounds and am wider then a sheet of paper. This makes cramming myself between the tree and wall an impossibility.

3) Trees have a built in defense system. Scraping up my hands and arms as I attempt to insert myself between the wall and the tree for the express purpose of putting an ornament in that space that no one will see seems like something you need medication for.

4) Yes, lights go all the way around. No, ornaments are not the same thing. Its a class system. Ornaments are more important. Its a cruel reality, sorry to be the one to break it to you.

5) It is a yearly tradition: bickering about whether or not the wall needs to view decorations as well. Why mess with tradition?

Since I am the one decorating the tree this year, I am drunk with the power of putting ornaments only on the visible sides of the tree. Its a small thing but I have embraced the duty with seriousness. I even purchased new ornaments and have strewn them about the living room in strategic piles so that they can be distributed on all visible sides of the tree.

The westie isn't sure what all my enthusiasm is about. He is mostly interested in stealing the fat chubby stuffed santas and making me chase after him screeching like a lunatic "Don't eat Santa! Don't eat Santa!"

That too is tradition.

I like to take my time with the tree, do a little bit each day. I'm late getting it up this year but I'm also one of those people that leave the tree up until the end of January. So there's still plenty of time to enjoy it and feel smug about the fact that the backside is naked as a...well...backside.

It is the little things I cherish....hee hee hee hee hee