The Dangers of Christmas Tree Lighting

After not much deliberation, I decided do get a real Christmas tree for all the people who live in my apartment (me) to look at and be happy. Yes, it's probably a waste of $40 (this is the price for a puny 4.5' tree, not even a decent size tree. It's not just Hallmark and the toy industry making a killing off Christmas- it's the churches too.), but when it comes down to it Christmas is my favorite holiday.

Not even Christmas Day. I actually find Christmas Day very depressing, since it's the culmination of 30 wonderful days of pretty lights, carols, red bows, cinnamon smells, and excuses to eat pastries for 3 meals a day. It's the whole season. Because of sickness and surgery and the stress of trying to finish school around those other two things and a major snowstorm that locked the DC area into immobile locations for a week, I felt like last year's Christmas season was stolen from me. And I don't bode well with anyone or anything, the Grinch included, stealing my Christmas.

So rants aside I decided to buy a real tree. Being an activity sort of aunt, I took two of my sister's kids tree hunting with me (the other two are a baby and currently sick, respectively). After a calamity free tree picking (everyone agreed, no one got too cold, Sam got to see a chain saw in action, all was well), we headed back to the apartment to set up the tree.

On a somewhat related note, 4 year olds who live in houses find the concept of high rise apartments fascinating. From the magic door buzzer to riding an elevator every day to having LOTS OF OTHER PEOPLE LIVE WITH YOU???, it's a shake to their suburban house living world. And having a bicycle in the bedroom. Bicycles go outside. Tia is crazy and has a bike in her bedroom.

Anyways. There is a reason all warnings suggest inspecting Christmas lights for broken bulbs with exposed wires BEFORE plugging them in and wrapping the tree. Because, if during the course of the year something squished a bulb, leaving working wires exposed, it can electrocute you if touched to skin. And that is exactly what happened. I'm wrapping the lights around the tree and then felt like I got stung by a thousand bees at once. I screamed and screamed and then decided dropping the lights might be the better thing to do. My wrist looked like I got bit by a vampire, two bright glowing red pricks pulsing with electricity. Sam and Lila were quite confused- do we laugh or cry? What is that crazy Tia doing now?

The wonderful elves Lila and Sam in front of the tree. At list the star is lit!

Luckily I found the culprit of the shock. After some deliberation on whether it was safe to duct tape the culprit shut, I decided risking burning my apartment building down because I don't want to spent $6.99 on a new strand of lights is a bit ridiculous even for me. So my tree is decorated, but unlit for the time being. It still makes me quite happy.

The Free People inspired stocking- feathers and bows and crystals, oh my!