It was time for the Christmas trees to go up on site this week. With the imminent visit of our CEO and all the preparation that it took, my friend in the building next to mine sent up the distress flares. "I'm running around like a mad thing, they've given me a student to help put the tree up but he hasn't a clue, can you please help?" As I had bought the decorations and the tree back in the day when I was the Ops Manager for that building I am obviously an expert at their tree assembly! Time for the "Creative Director, Christmas Trees" to take charge. I soon got Tom licked into shape and we got the tree assembled and the lights on in record time. I don't think I traumatised him too much (I can apparently be a real stickler when it comes to decoration - but I don't believe I'm that bad!!), but he was pretty quick to disappear when it was time to release him back into the wild!! I left the tree in the ladies hands safe in the knowledge that with the stunning silver colour scheme we had picked out years before, it would look stunning.
I went back to my desk and asked if our building was putting up their tree. I was told that the PA who now has responsibility for putting it up had said that she didn't have time to take it down, no-one offers to help, so she wasn't going to put it up. What?? No tree, because taking it down was a problem? Bloody hell - Bah Humbug indeed!! What was I to do? I volunteered of course!
When I saw the decorations I actually wished I hadn't bothered! There were multicoloured lights and a pitiful handful of red and gold decorations. Unfortunately they were mostly pretty new, so I felt compelled to use them. I discarded the tatty tinsel and the even tattier fairy and Gill and I did our best with what was left. Unfortunately half of the pitifully small amount of decorations were SO naff that they were relegated to the back of the tree. We kept explaining to people that we were "doing our best with what we had". It looked truly pathetic!!!
Stephen and I were laughing this morning...we thought it would be hysterical to go into work this weekend and swap the two trees over!! We could have the gorgeous tree and they could have the eyesore... However, I came up with a simpler solution....I went to Homebase and bought three giant tubs of silver and gold baubles. I am going to strip the tree and begin again with something more tasteful! Unfortunately we're stuck with the multi-coloured lights as it was really expensive to get new ones, and there is no work budget for this. I bought the baubles out of my own pocket as my reputation as an ace tree decorator was going down the toilet!!!
We've just been along to the local Christmas Tree farm to get our tree for home. This is the place that supplied the Downing Street Christmas Tree last year, and is owned by our neighbours family. He actually drove us along in his van to pick it up so we didn't get needles all over the car. What a wee star he is! Its currently sitting in the garage as I need to clear a space in the sitting room to fit it in. I'll be doing decorating magic tomorrow morning...YAY!
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