It's Time For Tinsel! Series

2nd SUNDAY OF ADVENT

“IT’S TIME FOR TINSEL!”

MATTHEW 1:1-16

#NBCCAdvent2016

CHRISTMAS TREE TINSEL STORY (P)

Once upon a time there was a family that decided to decorate for Christmas. The centerpiece of the decorations for their home was the Christmas Tree. The father went out back to the storage shed and lugged the large boxes which held the Christmas decorations. One of the boxes had the Christmas Tree in it. They were not a natural Christmas tree family, but put up a fake tree every year. Nature in the house was a no no. While the dad was getting the boxes out of the shed, the mother gathered her two children, a boy and a girl, and they made preparations. Preparations like getting Christmas music going in the whole house. Preparations like making hot chocolate. Preparations like a few Christmas candies set out.

The dad brought all the decorations inside and began to set up the tree in the living room. The tree was old and had been passed down to them by family members, but it was still a good looking tree. Some of the labels had fallen off over the years, but the dad could still put the tree together from memory. The bottom. Then the middle. Then the top. He then started to put on the lights. The mom quickly put up the volume of the Christmas music as the frustration of the dad became verbal. She tried to drown out the colorful Christmas language he was using as he tried to put the lights on the tree. Tangled lights. Broken lights. Tangled lights. Not enough lights. Out to the store. Back from the store. Out to the store. Back from the store. Finally the tree was plugged in and the lights were glowing beautifully in the living room. Christmas music was playing. Hot chocolate was ready. Christmas candies were set out.

Mom sat on the couch and opened the tins and small boxes filled with various Christmas tree ornaments. Just as she opened the first box, her son grabbed a package of tinsel from the pile and wanted to open it. She said very softly, “It’s not time for tinsel.” The little boy acted like he put the box of tinsel down, but slipped it in his back pocket instead. The mom opened the boxes of ornaments and handed them to the children who put them on the tree. Dad helped them put the ornaments on that went on higher branches.

The first ornament was a reindeer made out of popsicle sticks. It had two glued googly eyes and a little puffy red nose. It was painted brown by expert kindergarten hands some years before. The next ornament handed out was a large silver ball with the words “My first Christmas” scripted on it with a name and a year. The little girl squealed as she put her ornament on the tree. The next ornament was an angel made out of a toilet paper roll from 1st grade. Mom then handed out a whole box of colored balls that went all over the tree. Blue. Red. Green. Silver. Gold. Dad put them up high. Brother put them in the middle. Sister put them down low. After putting the balls on the tree, the son got out the package of tinsel from his back pocket and opened it up. The mom said a little more forcefully and sternly, “It’s not time for tinsel.”

Then it was time for a hot chocolate break. All four of the family at on the couch and sipped their hot chocolate looking at the barely decorated Christmas tree. A few songs came on that they all knew and all of them sang in unison. A few of the lights flickered on and off and then off. Everyone held their breath as dad stared at the lights and brought them back to life by sheer power of his mind. He smiled triumphantly. After all the hot chocolate was drank, it was back to decorating the Christmas tree.

Mom opened up a box of ornaments that had been “passed down from family.” Really that meant someone snatched them from the garage sale pile at grandma’s, but it is nicer to say they were “passed down.” One was a little wooden nutcracker figure with an eye missing. One was a Santa on a sleigh with Santa having a broken hand. They were sentimental. One was a rusty round ornament that said “Joy Joy Joy.” That was Uncle Oscar’s when he was a kid… dad mentioned… as he put it on the tree. Each of the little ornaments went on the tree it its place. Sister was not careful with one of the glass candy canes and it slipped out of her hand onto the floor. Crash! Glass everywhere! Everybody freeze! All the little bare feet obediently stood still while dad swept up the glass from the floor.