Kongo’s youngest son and daughter-in-law arrived from Boston yesterday and after dropping their bags the expanding troop heads off for the annual Christmas Tree Hunt at the Kiwanis lot a few miles from Kongo’s house.  The trees here are always nice and the proceeds go to a good cause.  This year Emily gets to pick out the tree because she told this mournful story about how her family has a fake tree each year and she can’t ever remember actually picking out a tree that somebody else cut down for her.  Scotch Pine or Blue Spruce?  So many decisions.

Mrs. Kongo opined that Christmas Trees were supposed to have a “bad side” which was supposed to be placed against the wall where no decorations will go but Emily held out for the perfect tree.  She finally found one and Kongo tested the branches on this “perfect” tree and deemed it monkey-worthy for this year’s celebrations.

Of course, when you buy a tree at Kiwanis you can’t just get a tree.  You have to get these little Christmas mice things with a candy cane in them too.  Hmm.

One unusual event happened while picking out the tree.  A poor soul who was too full of liquid Christmas cheer wandered into the lot and decided he couldn’t go any further.  The friendly paramedics showed up to check him out and finally the SDPD arrived to take this wanderer to off to have a chat with the Grinch.  Imagine the conversation at processing:

“Like, hey man, where did they get you?”

“Christmas Tree lot.”

“Huh?”

After all the excitement and much hemming and hawing Emily finally picks out a tree that is a bit taller than her which causes more merriment.  Emily, being the tallest in the family as well as a good sport has suffered obligatory annual Christmas gifts like T-shirts that say things like “Giraffes against ceiling fans” and giraffe hats.  She can now smirk with the knowledge that she is the only one who will be able to reach high enough to put the star on top of the tree.

Of course, after the selected conifer was dragged back to the cash register by two little girls it became obvious to all (even the lost merrymaker awaiting transport) that this tree was NOT GOING TO FIT in the trunk.  Extra donations to charity secured a Sunday morning delivery.  Kongo is off on his last trip for the year early Monday morning so he won’t get to actually see this tree being decorated but he will be looking forward to climbing around in its branches next Friday!

Travel safe.  Have fun.

Oh, check out Kongo’s Christmas video from last year!