Instructions for erecting Christmas tree:

Drive to country, select tree, cut tree down, realize tree costs more than mortgage payment, squeeze tree into trunk, drive home.

Try to remove tree from trunk when branches are facing wrong way, saw bottom off tree, drag into house, insert in stand, straighten, try to find a "good side," turn tree, realize there is no good side, re-straighten, grab toppling tree just in time, vow to never have live tree again.

Open bottle of wine.

Add water to tree stand, wipe up spilled water.

Haul decorations down from attic, test lights, replace burned-out bulbs, attach lights to tree, whine about prickly needles, plug in lights, replace more bulbs, shift strings to fill dark spots, vow to get artificial tree with lights next year.

Find most ornaments without hooks, search for hooks bought at last year's after-Christmas sale, give up, use paper clips.

Hang ornaments on tree, realize there are missing ornaments, go back into attic, find missing box, place more ornaments on tree, realize too many ornaments left over, vow to buy bigger tree next year.

Place tinsel on tree one strand at a time, snap at kids who apply tinsel in clumps, remember cats eat tinsel then throw up on carpet, remove tinsel from bottom of tree.

Close up boxes, store boxes, sweep up trail of needles running from driveway to tree, wonder how tree sap wound up on ceiling.

Ignore urge to choke spouse who says last year's tree was better. Open second bottle of wine. Collapse onto couch, realize there is one more burned out bulb, say fuck it.

Let out long breath, release, relax.

Repeat.

Allow silence to ease into room lit only by tree.

Think there is nothing like Christmas tree light.

Feel rising warmth of nostalgia and marvel at a life so rich as to include such things as Christmas trees.

When tear forms and creeps down cheek, don't wipe away.

Vow to never celebrate Christmas without a tree.