$40 air freshener

I had a BIG MOMENT last night. One of those signs of adulthood. Probably one of the last I will experience, actually, as I'm really getting a touch too old to have any Adult Firsts. But at least one was left.

I got my first Christmas Tree on my own. Woo hoo!

Out of college, I lived with my now ex-girlfriend and she had a fake tree which predated me and I never really felt was mine and besides, was fake. Last year, I opted not to get a tree since I was not on good terms with my roommate and my now girlfriend had one at her place anyway. She lent me a little fake tree which suited my needs, anyhow.

But this year, there is no fall back. My girlfriend is probably not getting a tree at all since she will be moving just before Christmas. I have big living room just begging for a tree. I thought about getting a fake one, but one wiff of the massive wreathes in my office building's lobby convinced me that I needed a real tree.

I'll be decorating it tonight. I have lights which I used to decorate my windows last year and picked up some ornaments at le Boutique Target. Have to let the branches drop first, of course. Which is essentially all I know about Christmas trees. Its a nice looking sucker. Not too big, but nicely full. I'm all excited. I woke up and the pine scent was just all over the place. Gotta love the real deal. And I've always been a sucker for room's lit by Tree lights. Its one of those enduring childhood memories that always moves me. I can't wait.

The funny thing, of course, is that I'm celebrating Christmas at all. I'm religious non-committed, after all, being an agnostic. Just goes to show how secularized the holiday has become. Although, I've always been a sucker for the Charlie Brown Christmas special precisely because it is so religious. I am not be of faith, but I have tremendous respect for those who are and do it right, encouraging others not by bluster or force but by living as examples of the teachings of their faith. The Charlie Brown special is doing it right. Reminding us what Christmas really means, both if religious and secular terms. Its one of only a handful of Christmas specials which is explicitly anti-consumerism, and you have to love that. Even The Grinch can't quite claim to be that as its more interested in stripping away the artifice to show the true meaning. That's not quite the same thing as Chuck's explicit condemnation of consumpsion celebrating. And I respect the hell out of how they do it. Painting Christmas without Santa and Rudolph and Snowman but rather with the hope of the Savior. Christmas get's slagged for being an unimportant religious holiday, but Charlie Brown provides an important rebutal to that line.

But, I can't say I went with Chuck's choice of trees when I got my $40 Air Freshener. At least's not some weird color or made of aluminum or (shudder) inflatable.