Beauty, Scrooge, and the Ability to Melt My Heart
He stood next to the noble fir with his left arm extended, holding the center. No, really, JD said, this one is perfect. He reminded me of a Barker’s Beauty, but instead of standing next to the Plinko game, he was standing next to a Christmas tree. Our Christmas tree if he had anything to say about it.
Umm, I hollered from 15-feet away, I don’t think that’s the one. I turned down another aisle to see if I could find the perfect tree. JD remained standing with the tree. It was the third tree I asked him to untie (well, because the untouched trees are obviously better!) and, after dragging him out unexpectedly to buy a tree, his patience was wearing thin. But, honestly, I didn’t care. It’s Christmas and this is just part of the process. You know, the process of standing in lines, sludging through crowds, humming along to Frank Sinatra’s version of Jingle Bells, calling dibs on parking spots 16 cars away. You know, the process.
On Sunday night, as we drove home from shopping at The Grove in LA, I expressed that he hasn’t really been Mr. Jolly-Good-Tidings lately. And it hurt my feelings. He apologized, but not without listing a litany of non-holiday caveats. Jaz, he said as we drove through Little Ethiopia, it took us nearly 40 minutes just to drive down Fairfax, only to wait another 20 minutes to get a parking space, only to wait another ten minutes for an elevator to descend from the sixth floor parking garage. Okay, I conceded, but shopping with you is fun and, well, today it wasn’t.
I should have known better. He wasn’t in the mood to shop and I was. And I also wanted to buy a new book. While this may not seem like an ordeal, with me it always is. You see, picking a book is like adopting a puppy. I have to touch my books. The covers. The pages. The author’s photo on the back flap. I have to smell my books. I have to open the book to a random page and if the writing moves me in that single paragraph, then I know it must be mine. But I go through this process at least 100 times before narrowing it down to three. Then JD helps me decide. Last Sunday, by the time I narrowed my book search, JD was ready to leave. Not the only the bookstore, but The Grove. He didn’t do or say anything to tell me, but I could tell.
Okay, I said as we descended the Barnes and Noble escalator, just one more stop at Crate&Barrel for ornaments and we’ll be done. He smiled and rubbed my back, but I felt like muttering, Hey, Scrooge, Tiny Tim called and wants his crutch back! ;)
We navigated the North Pole labyrinth filled with crying children waiting for their 22 seconds with Santa Claus and finally reached Crate&Barrel. A very crowded Crate&Barrel. We chose new ornaments and bought servingware and made it out as sanely as possible.
After Sunday night’s conversation, JD promised to be filled with more holiday cheer. So, last night I decided to take him up on his offer. That’s how we ended up in a tree lot late last night. JD instantly gravitated to the Charlie Brown Christmas trees (thin trees that reached my kneecap?!), but I wasn’t having it. As my Uggs trampled the loose pine needles, I wanted to find the perfect tree (preferably one that surpassed my belly button)…while Barker’s Beauty stood by his Plinko game. Frustrated after not being able to find a good fit, JD and I agreed on the tree in his hand and waited in line to pay. Just let me look ooooooooone more time, I said to JD, just in case I missed the perfect tree. I darted out again through the aisles of trees and that’s when I saw her. This beautiful noble fir with her arms stretched wide with a full waist and heavy bottom. She was perfect. Seven feet of beauty. I dragged her to JD, and when he asked if I was sure this was the one, I nodded and smiled while wiping the sap off my fingers.
Just as the tree lot attendants took my glorious tree to cut the base, a strange thing happened. They let her fall on her head, the tip where her star is supposed to rest. After they netted her, JD was strapping her to the roof of our car, when he turned to me and said the tip was broken. What?! My beautiful tree maimed?! The outrage! I gently patted her thistled arms and said I’d still make her pretty with my new ornaments ;)
So, last night JD and I stayed up until it hurt to blink. We decorated our tree, hung our stockings, and spread a little Christmas cheer. Before we went to bed, we stood back and gazed about our pretty little tipless tree. JD swung his arm around my shoulders and thanked me for making it feel like Christmas.
Even as a Barker’s Beauty wannabe, he can melt my heart with a few words.
These are the new ornaments JD bought me this year. Every year I get new star ornaments and I loved these from C&B!
Whatever, it may be tacky, but I liked this discoball ornament. Alright, alright...it's tacky. But I liked it!
Okay, because I've been giving my ornaments some love, I had to make sure and give a shout out to JD's snowmen. I can't figure out why, but JD insisted on buying these guys last year. He loves them. I don't know why, but he does.
The end product....
Umm, I hollered from 15-feet away, I don’t think that’s the one. I turned down another aisle to see if I could find the perfect tree. JD remained standing with the tree. It was the third tree I asked him to untie (well, because the untouched trees are obviously better!) and, after dragging him out unexpectedly to buy a tree, his patience was wearing thin. But, honestly, I didn’t care. It’s Christmas and this is just part of the process. You know, the process of standing in lines, sludging through crowds, humming along to Frank Sinatra’s version of Jingle Bells, calling dibs on parking spots 16 cars away. You know, the process.
On Sunday night, as we drove home from shopping at The Grove in LA, I expressed that he hasn’t really been Mr. Jolly-Good-Tidings lately. And it hurt my feelings. He apologized, but not without listing a litany of non-holiday caveats. Jaz, he said as we drove through Little Ethiopia, it took us nearly 40 minutes just to drive down Fairfax, only to wait another 20 minutes to get a parking space, only to wait another ten minutes for an elevator to descend from the sixth floor parking garage. Okay, I conceded, but shopping with you is fun and, well, today it wasn’t.
I should have known better. He wasn’t in the mood to shop and I was. And I also wanted to buy a new book. While this may not seem like an ordeal, with me it always is. You see, picking a book is like adopting a puppy. I have to touch my books. The covers. The pages. The author’s photo on the back flap. I have to smell my books. I have to open the book to a random page and if the writing moves me in that single paragraph, then I know it must be mine. But I go through this process at least 100 times before narrowing it down to three. Then JD helps me decide. Last Sunday, by the time I narrowed my book search, JD was ready to leave. Not the only the bookstore, but The Grove. He didn’t do or say anything to tell me, but I could tell.
Okay, I said as we descended the Barnes and Noble escalator, just one more stop at Crate&Barrel for ornaments and we’ll be done. He smiled and rubbed my back, but I felt like muttering, Hey, Scrooge, Tiny Tim called and wants his crutch back! ;)
We navigated the North Pole labyrinth filled with crying children waiting for their 22 seconds with Santa Claus and finally reached Crate&Barrel. A very crowded Crate&Barrel. We chose new ornaments and bought servingware and made it out as sanely as possible.
After Sunday night’s conversation, JD promised to be filled with more holiday cheer. So, last night I decided to take him up on his offer. That’s how we ended up in a tree lot late last night. JD instantly gravitated to the Charlie Brown Christmas trees (thin trees that reached my kneecap?!), but I wasn’t having it. As my Uggs trampled the loose pine needles, I wanted to find the perfect tree (preferably one that surpassed my belly button)…while Barker’s Beauty stood by his Plinko game. Frustrated after not being able to find a good fit, JD and I agreed on the tree in his hand and waited in line to pay. Just let me look ooooooooone more time, I said to JD, just in case I missed the perfect tree. I darted out again through the aisles of trees and that’s when I saw her. This beautiful noble fir with her arms stretched wide with a full waist and heavy bottom. She was perfect. Seven feet of beauty. I dragged her to JD, and when he asked if I was sure this was the one, I nodded and smiled while wiping the sap off my fingers.
Just as the tree lot attendants took my glorious tree to cut the base, a strange thing happened. They let her fall on her head, the tip where her star is supposed to rest. After they netted her, JD was strapping her to the roof of our car, when he turned to me and said the tip was broken. What?! My beautiful tree maimed?! The outrage! I gently patted her thistled arms and said I’d still make her pretty with my new ornaments ;)
So, last night JD and I stayed up until it hurt to blink. We decorated our tree, hung our stockings, and spread a little Christmas cheer. Before we went to bed, we stood back and gazed about our pretty little tipless tree. JD swung his arm around my shoulders and thanked me for making it feel like Christmas.
Even as a Barker’s Beauty wannabe, he can melt my heart with a few words.
These are the new ornaments JD bought me this year. Every year I get new star ornaments and I loved these from C&B!
Whatever, it may be tacky, but I liked this discoball ornament. Alright, alright...it's tacky. But I liked it!
Okay, because I've been giving my ornaments some love, I had to make sure and give a shout out to JD's snowmen. I can't figure out why, but JD insisted on buying these guys last year. He loves them. I don't know why, but he does.
The end product....
Labels: Personal
posted by Jasmine at 11:53 AM
6 Comments:
Oh my goodness, Jasmine, what an amazing post! Your story absorbed me all the way through. Since we're going to sunny Ft. Lauderdale for Christmas this year, we're (Heather) is putting up minimum decorations with no tree at our house. But getting a new decoration each year is a good idea! Thanks, JD! Absolutely fantastic pics, by the way. I can almost smell Christmas when looking at them. It's that time of year again!
Awww cuteness! Great closeup shots of the ornaments. My favorite is the disco ball! ;-)
Pretty! BTW, I like your hardwood floors :) We haven't decorated the inside of our house yet, but if you and JD are ever bored you should come by our house. It's fully decorated and there's music. No snow yet, that's for the night of the BIG party, but it still looks pretty cool! Just roll your windows down so you can hear the music!
You guys are soooo cute. I can't wait to buy and decorate a tree with my husband:)
I really love your work I put a link on my blog to your website.
Rich...please give Heather my love! Thanks for stopping by! :)
Scarlett, great minds think alike! ;)
Drew, you know I'll be at your party when it snows...girl, I'm not gonna miss it for the world!
Amy!! How's Cabo?! Looks like you're having a blast!
Ricki...nice to meet you! Thanks for the blog love! :)
Post a Comment
<< Home