2000

Griswold Family Christmas Tree

This was the year my father-in-law, Dave, nearly died getting his family Christmas Tree. It is a unique experience getting a Christmas tree with my in-laws. First you have to find a Christmas tree lot that is selling trees that are at least 12 foot tall. You would be surprised there is not much call for trees that big. Once we find a lot that sells them, we all head off in different directions to find the perfect tree. As we are wandering around you will hear phrases from the "Christmas Vacation" movie being uttered. "It's not going in our yard Russ" is often heard. Occasionally some stops to help Granny up from where she has fallen once again. Don't think you can pick a 10 foot tree or you will her Kris say "That is on the piddlin' side of puny" or "that's a shrub pretending to be a tree"

On this day we picked the biggest tree you could find, at least 20 foot tall. We had parked on top of a hill a mile away. After Dave cut down the beast we tried to drag it up the hill through the deep snow. Granny tried to help pull and she fell getting in the way. Dave, Kris and I started the long journey up the hill about 1/2 way up Dave fell to the ground. The tree had won. After a rest period we did finally get the tree up to the truck. You could not see the truck at all as we were following them home. That was the easy part they still had to get it in the house.

The next year Dave asked the guy if he could drive the truck back to where the tree was and he said "Yes".