Its that time of year again. Time to venture into the deep dark recesses of our attics and basements to break out the water stained cardboard boxes filled with strings of lights and glittery ornaments. Decorating the home and particularly the tree when Christmas comes around has been a beloved tradition in countless families around the world who faithfully observe and celibate this special time of year. For me on the other hand I meet it with mixed enthusiasm. For a number of reasons putting up the Christmas tree always seemed more like a chore than a pleasure. First I have to spend a good ten to twenty minutes of pricking my fingers on the sharp needles and branches trying to get them positioned in the right spot. Then I have to go back to the storage room dust the mice rice off the decoration boxes bring them out and then spend another tent to twenty minutes untangling them. and when its all done I'm tired and in all honesty a little underwhelmed by the decorated fake pine tree standing in the corner. Every time I pass by it I'm tempted to take down the the lights and decorations and start all over again, don't get me wrong our family ornaments and tree are nice I just can't help but wish it were a little more-- for lack of a better word-- Christmasy. In response to this problem I've decided to make a list describing my ideal Christmas tree from which you may be able to derive some inspiration.

1. The right tree. In my family we've always used and artificial Christmas tree that can be packed and stored away for the year. Artificial trees are also have the advantage of not falling to peaces and getting needles all over the place. But there are times when I wished we had a real tree that filled the house with the smell of pine and brought the added comfort of knowing that the sacred Christmas holiday still isn't totally artificial. So if I had my way I'd have an actual tree in the house.

The traditional idea of a Christmas tree is a perfect triangle pointing upwards with full and hearty branches. While those are nice I think I'd want a Christmas tree like the ones my grandpa used to put up. I have no idea if this was some sort of tradition but he would always go out and pick the gnarliest pine sapling in the forest. He never bought his trees. It was fresh from the forest or nothing. The tree always seemed to be growing out rather than up the thing would easily take up five square feet, the branches were spinally and spread apart so you could see the thin trunk in the center, all together it was pretty ugly plant. But when it was adorned with his red chili pepper lights and hand made wooden and glass ornaments it became beautiful in its own special way. The spread out branches made each little decoration pop, the strings of beads, and lights almost seemed suspended in the air around it. Its wide reaching branches also meant there was plenty of room beneath for presents for all us grand kids. There was something truly magical about visiting Grandpa's house on Christmas day and the tree was no small part of that magic.

2. The right lights. This is a tough one because because any kind of lights add a wonderful element of flare to a Christmas tree. I mentioned earlier that my grandpa would always hang up a string of light up red hot chili peppers on the tree, he was funny like that. But despite how corny they looked they worked. The red was an appropriate color and they didn't distract you too much. All I can really say is don't over do it. Be your lights, red, white, blue, or multi colored going over board with them is a little tacky and very dangerous.

While I may not go with red chili pepper lights when I have my own home and tree I will still probably go for red and white lights. Red pops and is rich in symbolism. White also serves in the same context during Christmas. I cant say I'm a fan of flashing lights, the constant flickering of a string of little lights is hard on the eyes and makes me want to look away from the tree, thus defeating the whole purpose.

3.The right ornaments. This is where I start to get really picky. Putting up the ornaments is always the most frustrating part of putting up the Christmas tree for me. If any two ornaments are too close together it leaves a big bare spot and when ever seem to preposition them it seems that there's another glaring green void. This is partly due to the fact that for the past several years my parents have used the same uniform ornaments. White balls, transparent snowflakes, little lace angels and shiny jingle bells that are nightmare to fit over the spiny branches. It looks nice but it all seems so. . . basic.

I like the idea of having a variety of ornaments, especially ones associated with a certain person or memory. When I think of Christmas I think of a variety of things, flying reindeer, blue birds perched on snowy branches, toy soldiers, train sets and dinosaurs. That's right dinosaurs. My earliest Christmas memory is of opening a present from my grandpa, I can still remember the feeling of surprise and joy when I tore away the paper and found a set of four plastic dinosaurs all in a box. I'm twenty two years old now and I still have them and I still cant look at them without thinking of how happy I was at receiving them as a child. I never specifically requested dinosaurs as a Christmas present, my grandparents just knew I loved them as a child. They knew my interests, and in giving me that present they made me feel special. That's why if I could just get my hands on some I would adorn my tree with little glittering ornaments of brontosaurus, t-rex and triceratops. The same three dinosaurs that were given to me as a child all those Christmases ago. I'd also like some sea shell themed ornaments, some of my most precious childhood memories involved me and the whole family vacationing on the beach in mexico and returning home with an assortment of brightly colored sea shells each unique and each beautiful in its own way. There would also be ornaments associated with the nativity, little bejeweled boxes and bottles of gold, frankincense and myrrh, stars and angels, shepherd crooks. There would be some ornaments that represented nothing particular either, colored pine cones, little red and blue birds, ribbons and strings of red beads. And who knows perhaps ornaments representing the past year I can see a tradition growing out of that.

4. The right presents. Now on to the important stuff. While its the thought that counts, the wrapping also matters in my point of view. I like the idea of having each gift individually wrapped no bags what so ever. Part of the fun of Christmas is getting to tare into the gifts after along period of writing and feeling that little rush of pealing away the paper after waiting for an agonizing 24 days. I'd also have the gifts wrapped in unique paper, some red, some blue, some green all with different bows and ribbons and winter images. Where's the fun if all the presents look the same? They all camouflage together like herd of zebras.

5. The right topper. While I don't harbor any prejudice against toping the tree with an angel, I'm more used to seeing a star of Bethlahem atop the tree. Whether its four pointed or eight pointed doesn't really matter. What does matter is that its actually possible to put it on the darn tree. Seriously crowning the Christmas tree is nothing like what they make it look like in the movies. It is hard to get the darn thing to stay up there. One of these days I'm going to invent a Christmas star with invisible clips so the star can go up and stay up!