I made the decision to go Christmas tree shopping this past weekend. I love Christmas, but I am willing to respect Thanksgiving as a holiday – mostly to eat dressing and macaroni and cheese. Getting a Christmas tree just two days after Thanksgiving would easily be the earliest I have ever had a Christmas tree. My mother’s birthday is mid-December and we never liked to override her birthday with Christmas, so when we were young, we would always wait until after her birthday to get a tree. Slowly, I had wiggled my way back to this day. It was going to be a perfect day! Beautiful Virginia mountains, 55 degrees F, sunny. We couldn’t wait!
Saturday morning came! I had to work at the clinic that morning, but I was just going to grit my teeth and bare it. Working Saturdays at a vet clinic is, at best, a crap shoot. Some people can only make appointments for Saturdays due to work schedules, some wait until the fear that they will have to watch their pet suffer a 42nd day in misery if they have to wait until Monday. At this clinic, I am the only doctor working and end up being scheduled to see a patient every 15 minutes – some easy vaccine boosters, some very sick, requiring extra time and care.
This particular morning, I was swamped. Sick animals everywhere, a very sad euthanasia, and a couple of headache inducing clients. At the end of the morning, ten minutes to the finish line, when the final client called and demanded her dog be seen for a broken toe nail despite our assuring her this is an issue that could be addressed at home – I mean, would you go to urgent care for a toe nail you cut too short? So, yes, we charged an emergency fee – hoping it would keep her away, but instead she spent 10 minutes griping about the price and brought the dog anyway, complaining that it wouldn’t take very long and it shouldn’t cost that much. Looking around, everyone in the clinic was super busy giving fluids to a sick cat, taking x-rays of a limping dog, cleaning, talking to clients in the cars (because curbside), and answering phones. I still had to write up all the records for the glob of cases I saw, make sure everyone was called back who had pressing questions or were waiting on lab work, make sure prescriptions were faxed out to the appropriate pharmacies. So, that, ma’am is why the extra charge.
Now, in my delightfully good mood, I will go Christmas tree shopping!
I finally arrive home, in such festive spirits that, after scarfing Thanksgiving leftovers, I sink down on the couch and contemplate whether today is, in fact, a good day to get a Christmas tree. Tony feeds into my foul mood by suggesting we wait until tomorrow. I consider the full out triple sized tantrum that would ensue if the kids found out we were not going that day and finally decide to get on with it.
We load everyone into the most neglected vehicle we own – “the truck” – the heat doesn’t work, it’s been rained in, the interior is likely rotted, the check engine light is ALWAYS on, but it does the work no other vehicle can do, so we haven’t scrapped it yet. On the way to the farm, we tune into a Christmas music station and the kids all join together in singing that classic yule-time favorite “A-B-C-D…” followed by Calvin screaming “NO! OSCAR!! It’s my turn!!! ABCDE…” then, all the kids joining in a harmonious fight to scream their ABCs the loudest while yelling and hitting their siblings that’s it’s their turn.
Finally, we get “the truck” to the highway where the shuddering of the vehicle in unison with the reverberations of the busted speakers finally silenced the kids into a fearful submission as I try to ignore the angry drivers passing feverishly since I would not go above 60 in a 70mph zone. We, then, get to peacefully listen to actual Christmas music and Oscar shushes everyone when “Frosty the Snowman” comes on and then we make it to the tree farm.
Pulling into the farm, we see it is PACKED! Everyone was walking around, dressed in their holiday best; sweaters, vests, and boots, when my kids jump out of the truck in short sleeves with India taking it a step farther with a flimsy cotton pink skort – Michigan raised kids, amirite? The kids all rushed to grab the deer carcass sleds they let you use to carry your slain tree, they argue incessantly over who gets to pull the thing, then Calvin decides he’ll just sit in the sled, which greatly upsets the other two as you cannot as easily sprint carelessly, demolishing all the baby trees when you have to actually try.
India sings to every tree that it is “the one” and we finally decide on one after, much unlike his choosing a life partner, Tony decides he needs to see every single tree before we settle down. We find a cute one to settle on – it’s not the tallest one we’ve ever gotten, but it’s full, green, and cute. Tony starts with the cutting down after we all have professed that this is “the one”. He gets a few saw strokes into it when I decide to help him out by pressing the tree away from the saw to open up the “incision”. At this very moment, I realize that this is the first any of us have actually touched the tree above the trunk. At this moment, it dawns on me that we have not chosen a tree, but a cactus. I CAN. NOT. TOUCH. IT. Tony asks if he should stop cutting, but we had already damaged the tree, it just was ours now. I picked up the sled to push it and we get it cut down. Tony, wearing work gloves, gets stabbed several times through the gloves to get it loaded on the sled and we consider donating this tree and getting another. “No,” I said, “it just fits with 2020 at this point.”
We get it trimmed and loaded and drive home, welts slowly growing all over Tony’s hands and arms, he is dousing his hands in hand sanitizer to help relieve the itch. India’s allergies and asthma is being triggered, likely by the mold in the interior of “the truck”. And so, we arrive home with the precious cactus, contemplating whether or not to just drag it up and down the gravel driveway until it softens.
Decorating of the tree goes much more smoothly than it could have with a destructive 3 yr. old, only 2-3 ornaments were broken, but that’s why I had my trusty hot glue gun plugged in and ready to go. Oscar ran around the ENTIRE time, hopping on one leg, around the tree, jumping over the strand of lights plugged into the wall, all to simulate being his tyrannosaurus ornament who had lost a leg. We finished adorning the tree with all the favorites, including homemade Pokémon cut-outs, a George Harrison action figure, and a Halloween dragon skeleton. Soon Calvin also joined Oscar in skipping, and then India, and we finished the day with skipping races across the living room.
Here’s to your Christmas/Holiday season!
Merry Christmas to you and your family.
Loved the Christmas story about the tree (cactus), a very special tree this year, making memories, wishing you and family a very Merry Christmas 🎄
where there’s a will there’s an Emily.
Just part of being family!
Loved your adventure ! Im watching reruns of you on Dr Pol. I am sure they miss you as do I. I’m also sure your enjoying Va. Weather instead of Michigan’s at this time of year. Happy Hoildays to you and your family !♥️
Treasure these hectic days. They go by so quickly and when they are gone you will wish you could have them back again.
Life is often hectic- at work and at home. Glad it all worked out. You will look back on this day many years from now and laugh about how crazy it was. Kids grow up way too soon- so enjoy them.
Merry Christmas to you and your family. May God continue to bless all of you this coming year.
Merry Christmas to all the ‘fans’ on here! May God bless and keep each of you, too.
Sweet post!! Thank you and may God bless you and yours too!! Merry Christmas and Happy Hopefully Happy New Year!!!
Hope your Thanksgiving was great. As I was reading the Christmas tree adventure I was “seeing” it as part of an animated holiday special.
Merry Christmas and all the very best of everything for the new year….May it not resemble your cactus tree! As parents, we love the quiet that bedtime brings but, it’s the days that bring the memories.
Again, thank you for the laughter!
Hope there are no more cactus-tree injuries – maybe it will keep the kitties from exploring, I mean, destroying, it!
The people of Warren County are so lucky to have you as their pets Doctor! When you get a moment, can you and Tony please clone you and send it to me here at the bottom of the world – lower South Western Australia? Goodness knows we need you Down Under! I’ll pay extra postage if you can put a rush on it please.
From my family to yours, Merry Christmas and we hope you have a happy and safe New Year xx
What an adventure, and I laughed along with you. And you write so well. It is a lovely Christmas tree, that first picture belongs in a magazine . . . so talented.
May your Christmas be merry and bright!
Your day was hectic and crazy but this post brightened my day immensely so thank you.
Thanks for the giggles . Much needed ❤️🤣
Beautiful tree, beautiful story
Thank you for sharing…
I loved reading this! Thank you! Your Christmas Tree is perfect. Your living room looks awesome, as do you. I am hoping that you love your work and are less stressed than before.
Merry Christmas to all!
Emily I love your writing style and humor. I want to agree with your fans…the kids grow up so fast. You are making wonderful memories with them.
I’m stuck in bed fighting cancer so your humor is healing. Makes me remember what’s important in life. And you’ve nailed it.
Happy holidays to all
It looks like a beautiful tree. 🎄
Reading your post was like “seeing” a comedy TV show. Saw you on a Dr. Pol snippet last night or night before last where you were new at the Pol clinic. You stated that you were originally from SC. Where was Tony from originally?
Merry Christmas to you and your family.
What a lovely Christmas scene! After that day, it’s time for white rum and eggnog! Thanks for keeping in touch with us all. ❤️
We’re both from Georgia – we only lived in South Carolina for 2.5 years.
Your day turned out very well considering. Happy Holidays!
Of course, you know that when they are in college and their 20s and then their 30s, you will look back with nostalgia on these days. The insanity around children lasts just long enough until you miss it, and begin to reminisce about it. It will be much less stressful in hindsight, I promise you!
O my all things come on one day. Not funny.
I am late having my cat vaccinated as well.I must must an appointment.
As for the Christmastree,so prettybut we just had St Nicolaas(Dutch do not give presents at Christmas) and my son Martijn gave me a huge fake tree,that what we call the artificial Christmastree.I also get a rash from the needleled and the fake tree does not have hat problem and t saves a treelife.
Anyway a well meant heartfelt Merry Christmas to all of you.
Beautiful tree!! Love the start to go with it!!
I love it! I could picture all of this happening . 😆
Thank you for sharing Emily! 😁
🌲❤Love to read youre blogs.. happy holidays greetings from the Netherlands ⭐❄
Good Morning from New Brunswick… just finished reading your post and enjoyed it, and the pictures, immensely….and i must say your prickly tree looks absolutely beautiful, and your kids are so adorable and growing up so fast…every day i look for news about your family and i was thrilled that you surfaced…wishing you a Merry Christmas and the best to all of you in the New Year…
You arent the only one saying the tree is a cactus, so many of my friends have said the same thing. I say it has to be a 2020 year thing be CDC ause the Rockefeller tree looks sick also.
All sounds pretty much normal to me.
I just love your family. Merry Christmas.
But but..the tree and skirt are not centered to the round rug! Ughhhh! The whole effect is ruined! Better find out what kind of tree that is and stay clear next time. Hope you have one of those long funnels to water the tree or who’s gonna end up snake bellying under the tree to water it? Blessings!
Brenda
Oh Emily I just love you and miss you and this was just so much fun to see the kids and you and Tony getting the tree . I’m sorry Tony had to have a reaction and that you truck needs replacing but I know when your my age 76 you’ll look back at this memory and laugh with your gown kids and maybe even grandkids at how much fun it was . Time just seems to go so fast when they are small so just do what your doing because your a great mommy and wife and they are great kids and your a great vet and I’ve seen you in action taking care of the animals when you were at Dr Pols and I still watch you in the reruns . Please never change and stay safe and enjoy the Christmas holidays with your family and Happy Birthday to your mom. 🎂
Love ya all. Hugs from Maria
A happy & healthy Christmas season to you, Tony, the kids, & your critters!☃️🎄🍻🥂
Thanks for reminding me of the fun we had when the kids were young. We will miss seeing you on TV when the Dr. Pol reruns are over.
Merry Christmas
Haha, I love how you describe the tree and its ornaments. I’m sure it’s the most beautiful tree ever to your kids, and it does look pretty in your pics with the string lights on. Trust me, you’re going to love those memories another 20 years from now! Happy Holidays from Michigan!
Looks beautiful! Wishing you and your family a very Merry Christmas
It’s a really pretty tree, even if it is a cactus. At any rate, you’ve done a marvelous job decorating it, and at least the kids didn’t knock it over. (yet? touch wood)
Hello Emily and family, Your tree is beautiful. You children are growing so. Your youngest son has really grown since you leaving Dr. Pol. I just wanted you to know I miss you not being on Dr. Pol. That is my favorite show, I hope you and your family have a wonderful and blessed Christmas. A fan in South Carolina!
Dr Emily you never cease to amaze when writing about a happening in you life!
My Father-in-law used to own a Christmas tree farm and of course all 6 kids got free trees. We would go out prior to or on Thanksgiving to pick out our tree. But we had restrictions on the ones that we could pick, and let me just say they definitely weren’t the really nice ones. My Mother-in-law had an article in the local newspaper written about her because she always chose what she calls a “Charlie Brown tree”.
On one of the first years of the tree farm and were what my husband decided we should get. I balked, yelled, reasoned all to no avail, we were taking that tree period!
We got it home and decorated it 2 days later. My husband then had to go out of town for business in Northern MI and as usual when something goes wrong it’s always when my husband is out of town! Just 3 days after putting that tree up with all my decorations that I’d been collecting since my daughter was 7 months old the tree said “nope, nuh uhh, not happening” then promptly FELL OVER breaking almost all of my ornaments!!
The first emotion that hit me was sadness over my broken ornaments. The second emotion was absolute rage! I pulled off ornaments, lights, beaded ropes and put them into a pile to be sorted thru when I wasn’t so angry. Then I dragged the tree thru my living room and out to the front yard, where it stayed until my husband returned home. When he walked in the front door upon his return he was greeted with the sight of a brand new artificial beautifully decorated tree. We had that tree for the next 20 years because I wasn’t bringing home another “Charlie Brown” tree!
Happy holidays Dr Emily, VA is beautiful at Christmas time. 💕💕
Emily, I just love your writing and the stories you tell. Merry Christmas and a Happy and Prosperous New Year to all of you!
‘Christmas Vacation’ the movie has nothing on you. Merry Christmas. Still love seeing you on Dr. Pol.
Merry Christmas!
Your lovely and funny adventures are a reminder of very similar ones I had close to a half century ago. Thankfully, I can still remember at least the hi-lites! May the Lord Bless your family and the families of ALL that lovingly follow you and your family! Merry Christmas!!
Merry Christmas! Sounds like a normal family outing. Bless you.
I really enjoyed this post. It reminded me so much of Christmas’ past when my kids were young and we went full hog with decorations, etc. All very identifiable and funny. I also learned a new word, “amirite”. I had not seen it before, but it is perfect. I promise to do my bit to promote its use and thereby convince my very adult kids ( 53 ,54) that I’m still with it and cool. Wishing you the Merriest of Christmas.
Absolutely beautiful!!!!! I enjoyed your story of tree hunting day. That is a day those kiddos will soon forget. Have a very Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year. Your kids are really growing up!
Everything looks beautiful!
We never got to have that experience because I have always been allergic to pine😢.
This year our “pre-lit” tree was half unlit🙄. My husband worked on it for 6hours and I had to hide away to avoid WW III. Then he let the two grand daughters decorate it and looks like some one threw up on it. If I go over to fix something they both cry out Gram don’t you like what we did? I agree this how to end 2020!
Take care Thomas Family you are a beautiful family making lots of memories for sure.
God bless and best wishes for wonderful holiday season.
I’m exhausted just reading that! LOL! I’m glad you finally got your tree. May it survive the month with those active kids around.
Thanks for the truly funny as well as heart warming story. Its a beautiful tree and despite the unfortunate technical failures that can only be attributed to your camera, you have a beautiful family as the photos show. Please keep sharing… and Merry Christmas!
You have a very engaging writing style that I truly enjoy. It allows one to envision the “atmosphere” of the moment, and conjures images that are easily related to. While I am beyond sure of your talents as a DVM, you should also consider a side endeavor (with all your spare time!) as a writer.
The merriest of the Christmas Season and spirit to you and your family. You all are truly Loved.
Jeff C.
I am so glad to have found your blog! You have a beautiful family and your Christmas decorations are lovely. I always enjoy watching you work with the animals on Dr. Pol’s show, and miss your kind, compassionate presence there. Michigan’s loss is Virginia’s gain! I am looking forward to following your adventures and reflections as you share them. Merry Christmas to you and your family (human, furry, and feathered) from my 3 rescue dogs and me!
Totally enjoyed your tree story. It brought many chuckles. Merry Christmas to you and your family.
You have a beautiful family and your Christmas decorations are lovely. I always enjoy watching you work with the animals on Dr. Pol’s show in Nat Geo Wild, and miss your kind, compassionate presence there. Michigan’s loss is Virginia’s gain! I am looking forward to following your adventures and reflections as you share them. Merry Christmas to you and your family.