The goose is getting fat!

Santa and Frosty decorate their tree
@Rollo1 (16679)
Boston, Massachusetts
December 6, 2017 8:47am CST
Or maybe it's just me getting fat. Christmas is coming and once we hitDecember, it feels imminent. I read about a black Christmas tree on another discussion by @koopharper, but I couldn't really picture it until I saw them advertised by a local store. My daughter bought a new, boxed tree this year and it took some doing to talk her out of the shiny black model. Thank goodness, she got a normally greenish one. It's up and decorated and I faithfully turn on the lights anytime it is dark enough outside to warrant it. That means at 5am when I get up until the sun rises and again about 4pm when the sun decides to fall suddenly from the sky. On cloudy days, they just stay on. That's the extent of my Christmas readiness. I haven't another thought about it, really. I have no gifts purchased, no ideas about dinner, no cookie doughs made and frozen ahead of time. Nada, zip, zilch. I have been watching old Christmas movies on YouTube. This is helping to keep me sufficiently jolly. I am saving the 1951 version of A Christmas Carol with Alastair Sim for Christmas Eve. I have watched the Grinch (cartoon version) and A Charlie Brown Christnas, What are your favorite holiday movies? Are you a jolly elf or a grinch? I admit that grinch is my natural state, but I try to shake it off during the holiday season. I am like Scrooge - I try for redemption of my grinchy ways. The photo is of my attempts to make myself jolly with some Christmas knitting. I made the trees and the little figures.
14 people like this
14 responses
@MALUSE (69373)
• Germany
6 Dec 17
What is black in a black Christmas tree? Are the needles black? A Christmas tree must be green!
3 people like this
@Rollo1 (16679)
• Boston, Massachusetts
6 Dec 17
Al the needles are black. Seriously. Black and weirdly shiny.
2 people like this
@koopharper (7601)
• Canada
6 Dec 17
Narrowly avoided the black Christmas tree did you? Glad I could help.
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (160611)
• United States
9 Dec 17
@koopharper They have so many ugly colored Christmas trees the last few years. If I have one, it is green. Often I do not really have one. I have seven wreaths across the front of my house this year,
1 person likes this
@Rollo1 (16679)
• Boston, Massachusetts
6 Dec 17
I thought it was some aberration until they appeared in stores near me. It's so Nightmare Before Christmas!
2 people like this
• Canada
7 Dec 17
@Rollo1 Welcome to the dark side of Christmas.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61102)
• United States
8 Dec 17
I already watch the 1938 version of A Christmas Carol and I am looking forward to watching several others.
1 person likes this
@Rollo1 (16679)
• Boston, Massachusetts
8 Dec 17
The 1938 Reginald Owen version is notable for Gene Lockhart's wonderful Bob Crachit and the appearance of his lovely real life daughter June Lockhart. I also love Leo G Carroll, in everything he ever did. I've seen the 1935 version with Seymour Hicks. It 's faithful but less memorable, somehow. I was disappointed in the Patrick Stewart version. I also have a fondness for Scrooged, with Bill Murray. But the Christmas morning scene with Alastair Sim is brilliant and makes the 1951 film unforgettable.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61102)
• United States
9 Dec 17
@Rollo1 Yes I recognized June Lockhart years ago in that version and I was surprised that she is still alive
@Juliaacv (51045)
• Canada
6 Dec 17
I really like the little Christmas knitted cuties-they are so unique and festive looking! I'm more of an elf then a scrooge, I love this time of the year because people finally start acting the way that they should the entire year. People seem to be a little more honest and forgiving and kind. We could celebrate this 365 days of the year, we would just slow down, smile more and speak from our hearts.
2 people like this
@Rollo1 (16679)
• Boston, Massachusetts
6 Dec 17
Oh, I totally agree. I don't know if people act better or if we just feel better about humanity with all this talk of "peace on earth" and all the holiday movies about love and kindness. Christmas reminds us of what we hope to be, and that's a good thing.
1 person likes this
@1creekgirl (41387)
• United States
6 Dec 17
I love your people you made. This is also the kind of Christmas that much of what I usually do won't get done. Between shoulder surgery, this massive kidney infection and hospitalization (oh, and also Shingles!), I'm doing good to buy a few gift cards. My husband and grandson put up the tree and that's the extent of the decorations. Husband did put a few lights up outside, though. It's taking all he can do to keep us in clean clothes and dishes. Hope your holiday spirit will revive a little and you'll have a good Christmas after all.
1 person likes this
@Rollo1 (16679)
• Boston, Massachusetts
7 Dec 17
Any one of those things is enough to excuse you from merry making. It's good that someone is filling in for the important things, the little details and doo-dads can be done without. I hope you recover quickly and have a Merry Christmas!
1 person likes this
@1creekgirl (41387)
• United States
7 Dec 17
@Rollo1 Thanks, Anja. Hope your holiday is bright.
@Fleura (30335)
• United Kingdom
6 Dec 17
Those are cute! I started knitting a nativity scene a few years ago, I figured I could add to it each year and each piece is fairly small and easy. You can see a little picture at the top here: The snag is that most of the year I don't really feel like knitting, and then Christmas comes far too soon! So far I still only have Mary with the baby Jesus in the cradle and a couple of sheep. Joseph is half finished - hope to get him done in time this year!
Jean Greenhowe official Website - Christmas Special Knitting patterns, knitted dolls, knitted toys, easy knitting patterns, free knitting patterns
1 person likes this
@Rollo1 (16679)
• Boston, Massachusetts
7 Dec 17
What exquisite designs! I have to admit to sort of winging my snowmen and I have made a few with all different color sweaters and hats. I do like the Nativity Scene. I don't usually buy patterns but these are worth considering.
1 person likes this
@Fleura (30335)
• United Kingdom
7 Dec 17
@Rollo1 I like her designs because they are all in plain knit stitch so nothing too complicated for me and for the girls to help as well. She has some free designs online which we started with, me and Big One made quite a few of the tea-party treats especially all sorts of different sandwiches to play with! We made several little Xmas stockings too and now they go on the tree every year with little treats inside.
Jean Greenhowe official Website - Knitting patterns, knitted dolls, knitted toys, easy knitting patterns, free knitting patterns
@lady1993 (27224)
• Philippines
7 Dec 17
knitting is hard... your Christmas spirit is complete because of that we only have decors for now, no gifts yet
1 person likes this
@Rollo1 (16679)
• Boston, Massachusetts
8 Dec 17
I can't even think of gifts yet! I am going to be so unprepared.
1 person likes this
@jstory07 (139503)
• Roseburg, Oregon
8 Dec 17
The tree and the little figures sure are cute.
1 person likes this
@LeaPea2417 (37350)
• Toccoa, Georgia
7 Dec 17
I have never seen a black Christmas Tree. My favorite holiday movie is "The Christmas Story".
1 person likes this
@Rollo1 (16679)
• Boston, Massachusetts
8 Dec 17
That's a fun movie and I see it every few years.
1 person likes this
@marlina (154131)
• Canada
7 Dec 17
A black Xmas tree would be a depressive thing to look at.
1 person likes this
@Rollo1 (16679)
• Boston, Massachusetts
7 Dec 17
They are very shiny and the lights look quite nice in contrast, but it looks more like some element of modern interior design than a Christmas tree.
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
7 Dec 17
You've knitted those figures very well, they're lovely. I never watch Christmas movies, and I never decorate until the week before Christmas, However that doesn't make me a grinch (never seen that movie either, but I understand the reference). I enjoy Christmas when it gets here.
1 person likes this
@Rollo1 (16679)
• Boston, Massachusetts
8 Dec 17
I enjoy the build up much more than the actual day. It's like Willy Wonka said - "the suspense is killing me, I hope it lasts".
1 person likes this
@pgntwo (22408)
• Derry, Northern Ireland
6 Dec 17
Perhaps hailing from the Black Forest...? Or a sooty production line in a warehouse in China, more likely...
1 person likes this
@Rollo1 (16679)
• Boston, Massachusetts
7 Dec 17
It's a logical progression of modern decor. Probably Simon Cowell invented the black Christmas tree when he found his toddler getting dirty fingerprints on his white Christmas tree.
1 person likes this
@pgntwo (22408)
• Derry, Northern Ireland
7 Dec 17
@Rollo1 I blame "The Apprentice", actually.
@JudyEv (339433)
• Rockingham, Australia
6 Dec 17
I like your knitted trees and figures. And a black tree would seem very strange.
1 person likes this
@Rollo1 (16679)
• Boston, Massachusetts
7 Dec 17
It wouldn't feel very Christmas-y.
1 person likes this
6 Dec 17
First of all,Merry Christmas to you and your family, I liked the photo very much.The tree is also very beautiful.
1 person likes this