Quick update: The house finally got decorated inside and out. Carrie's crappy string of Christmas lights are still up but we added to it the tree and some garland around one of the windows. Tim got a bunch of lights up on the outside of the house, you're welcome Duke Energy. He did not get the hole dug for the tree, which surprised no one.
Growing up there were a lot of Christmas traditions around the Milligan household. For example going to pick out the Christmas tree. Usually the weekend after Thanksgiving we would bundle up and head out to some tree farm on the outskirts of Lafayette to go tree hunting. For a few minutes we would walk around together the four of us, but then, inevitably, we would head in different directions looking for trees. Everyone had their own vision of the perfect tree. My sister, usually, wanted one that was a little smaller, my dad liked them to be tall, mom was looking for one where ornaments could hang down, and I would look for one that had the strongest overall "Christmas tree vibe." I imagine you can discern a lot about a person based on what they are looking for in a tree1. Eventually we would settle on a tree that came close to what we were all looking for and we would cut it down. After we had the needles shook out of it we crammed it into the car and headed home. The tree normally would sit in a bucket of water for a week or two before it went up2 then decorating would begin. My dad always put the lights on and then my mom, sister and I would put up ornaments, taking turns putting them on the tree until it was fully covered.
Another tradition that my sister Sarah and I had was to organize the nativity scene. Years ago my grandparents gave my dad and all his siblings and their families nativity sets from a church sale. I don't remember how long ago it was, but it had to have been a while because I don't remember a time when we didn't have them. Every year my sister and I would position and reposition the figures until we got it just how we wanted it, then we'd probably move it again.
In other Christmas news. I watched Gremlins recently for the first time. Which is hard to believe but true none the less. My friend Tim "Tony Gonzner" Gosnell suggested that it was more Christmasy than Die Hard. Now I don't know if I will go that far. But it was entertaining, and that counts for something. I don't think it will make the yearly rotation of must watch Christmas movies, I am glad thought that I watched. I'm equally glad that Mrs. Deagle dies, she got what was coming to her4.
As promised here is the next movie on my list of must watched Christmas movies. As you may remember the season, for me, kicks off with Die Hard. The second movie that I watch is Elf with Will Farrel. This movie, I imagine, will create much less controversy than Die Hard will. It is most certainly a Christmas movie what with Santa, elves, claymation puppets and caroling. My favorite line in the movie is probably, "You sit on a throne of lies."
Here are some facts that you may or may not know about Elf. It was directed by Jon Faveau who also directed the two Iron Man movies. Buddy's supervisor elf in Santa's workshop is played by Ralphie Parker5. Zooey Deschanel is very cute. Has some incredibly talented actors in it: James Caan, Bob Newhart and Ed Asner to name a few. I can't watch this movie and not smile the whole way through.
Bye Buddy, I hope you find your dad.
__________________________________________________________
1 We'll leave that for someone else to do.
2 This was to appease my dad who hated the fact that we got a tree so early.
3 Which, ironically, it probably more like what the real manger would have been like, cheap and small.
4 I also called it that the characters who got crushed by a snowplow would miraculously end up okay.
5 Come back next week if you don't know who this is.
