The perfect tree

I have a memory from when I was young that involves trees, tailgates, saws and schnapps. We would come together with our neighbors and head out to the local tree farm up the hill from our woodsy homes. We would park our truck and the adults would have a nip of blackberry schnapps while us kids impatiently ran through rows of trees, each of us looking for our own version of dendro-perfection. Some wanted a normal, simple shape and others just couldn't help themselves when it came to size, and still others wanted a fat, round bush. We always found what we were looking for.

This year we attempted a similar event. A few friends met at our house for mimosas and snacks before driving up to a remote tree farm in the Adirondacks. The weather was warm and as the city faded away the landscape did too, into a blanket of mist.

When we got to our destination we let the four dogs get their yayas out and trudged around in mud and thickets formulating a plan. Another group cut down a huge tree nearby, scaring us after issuing a feeble "Timber". Eventually, we headed uphill and into thick brush to find what we were looking for. We'd leave the easy trees for someone else.

Our friends found their tree pretty quickly, tall enough for their vaulted ceilings and wild looking. We found ours soon after, slim, compact and just right for our tiny, century old house. After dragging our quarry back to the trucks, we celebrated with beers and ran the dogs and watched the fog roll down the mountains. We paid our $12 the kids playing Worldcraft in a white mini van and scooted out of the park for burgers at the Adirondack pub and grill.

As we drove home, bellies full and drowsy from a day outdoors, we gazed out at the Christmas lights glowing in the fog. There were quaint white lights, huge displays, trees in bay windows and mechanical reindeer. Multi colored lights, red lights, and my grandfather's favorite, all blue lights. My heart warmed at the thought that while each person was celebrating the same season, their ways of expressing that celebration were perfectly unique and tailored to their lives. Just like our trees.