Because You’re Growing Up

December 20, 2012

When I was little, the magic of Christmas for me was putting up our tree. Every year I would get so excited coming home from school after Thanksgiving wondering, "Is this the day? Is mom putting up the tree today?" We would put it on top of our console TV, you know the ones that had the screen in the middle and the speakers built into the sides? It was a gigantic piece of furniture in our little apartment, which I used to watch wrestling, but that’s another story for--never. 

I’ll never forget when I was seven, the excitement of coming off the bus and seeing the window shades pulled up. I could see my mom kneeling down next to the console TV; she was fluffing something, and I knew instantly what it was. That day I exclaimed, "It’s today! We’re putting our tree up!"

I ran off that bus, leapt to the ground  and ran excitedly to the door. I flew into the house and was so excited to see that we were putting up the tree. But something was horribly wrong.

"Mom, What happened to the tree?"

"What do you mean what happened to it; it’s the same tree."

"No it’s not."

"Sweetheart, it’s the same tree."

I sank to the ground beside her, confused and upset. "But mom, it’s so small."

She put her arm around me and giggled, "That’s because you’re growing up."

And so every year, our Christmas tree shrunk as I grew, and I wondered every year how much smaller it would appear. Eventually, we got a bigger one, but I missed that little tree. The magic of putting it up, decorating it beautifully, and watching it’s twinkling lights has and always will be the biggest and best part of enjoying my childhood Christmases.

Cynthia S.
Midwest Genealogy Center