A Very Merry SLISmas
Posted December 13, 2018 by Katie Carlson
A little over a week ago, my roommate Chloe and I embarked upon a true ‘grad students living in Boston’ adventure when we went hunting for a Christmas tree! A douglas fir wasn’t really an option when we lived together in dorms, and we are both originally from suburban areas, so Christmas tree hunting usually requires a car and a series of bungee cords! Where would we even begin? We floated ordering an Uber, renting a car, begging friends and even ordering a tree to be delivered, but settled on the old fashion way: hoofing it. Chloe, my favorite person on earth, was able to locate various places to pick up the tree, mapped how long it would take us to walk to each, and ensuring that they sold tree stands. We budgeted, made sure we had the cash necessary for the purchase, threw on our raincoats, and set off (in the rain, of course).
When we arrived at the lot, we decided that something between Chloe’s height (5’3″) and my height (5’10”) would be ideal. We didn’t want to overwhelm our apartment, but my love of big trees got the best of me! We ended up with a six and a half foot douglas fir, which clocked in at $35. Throw in a stand, and the cost of ultimate Christmas cheer is roughly $60…but I’d say it’s really priceless!
My ‘granny cart’ – on loan from my actual Grammie – proved essential once again, as men working the Christmas tree stand in the parking lot secured the tree with twine and maneuvered it into the cart. Through some strategic tipping, lots of help from Chloe to not tip over, and lots of sweat, we were able to navigate the mile trek back to our apartment. A few people along the way even rolled down the windows of their cars to offer encouragement!
[[ Here is a BONUS picture of the Carlson family tree this year for comparison. When I go home to New Jersey in a few weeks, this 9 ½ foot monster will be waiting for me, along with my 6’5′ ‘little’ brother!]]
After dragging the tree up a few flights of stairs, we took a well deserved break! I needed a shower to wash off all the sap and pine needles! Afterwards, we rearranged our dining room table to make room for the tree, deciding that the corner with the double window was the best place for the display! We let the tree fluff up over night, then we threw on the Netflix fireplace, jammed out to some holiday music, and got to decorating. My lovely mother sent along a package with white and rainbow tinsel, as well as a festive night light that projects Frosty the Snowman on the ceiling, a handful of ornaments, and a metric ton of hot chocolate. Luckily, I also had a string of multicolor and a string of purple lights leftover that I’d used to decorate my room in undergrad. We were set!
Here are pictures of Chloe putting on the first ornament vs. the final product! While my back was a little sore after hiking with the tree, my heart remains so very full. Cheers to the little details that make this holiday season so special!