By Kait Carson
Elvis 2007
Hi readers and fellow crime writers. I’d planned to write a learned essay about the seduction of editing this month, but hey, it’s the penultimate day before Christmas. Instead of reading about the writing life, no matter how scintillating the topic, what we really want to do is kick back in front of the fire with our favorite libation and light the tree. Or if you have kids, figure out just how to put that toy together. In which case, I hope your libation of choice is an adult beverage. Things have definitely progressed from securing item ‘A’ in slot ‘B’ and tightening the screw with the enclosed Allen wrench to instructions requiring an advanced degree in electronic engineering.
Starlight 2009
We don’t have a tree this year. Haven’t had one since we returned to Maine in 2020 and installed the woodstove in the living room. This is a small house. Pines are flammable. Common sense dictated a choice between a Christmas tree and furniture. Furniture won. That’s not to say we haven’t had trees in the past. Most cut from our property. And as most required some serious surgery to get through the front door, the cuttings made beautiful wreathes. If you’ve ever seen the Griswald Family Christmas Tree, you know what I mean. Once in the woods, the certain knowledge of an eight-foot ceiling morphs into the unshakable belief that a sixteen-foot tree will fit just fine.
I hope you enjoy this retrospective of Christmases past. Complete with cats.
Smokey 2006
2005 Must have been feeding time for the cats
Florida with Fred and Hutch 2012
To all who celebrate, happy holidays, and may 2026 bring everything you desire.
Happy Holidays, Kait. Write on!
Thanks, Matt! To you and yours as well.
Charming!
Thank you!
Finished decorating the tree at 1am. At 8 my husband asked if I’d dropped a bell last night. Me replying nope, rehanging the bell, and heading for coffee. Cut to Scottie, our energetic, enormously entertaining fir-ball, slinking to said tree. Bell sounds plink as it hits the floor. Scottie gives the “What?!” look and proceeds to remove more low-hanging fruit. I chase him off, rehanging ‘fruit’. Cat ignores tree all day. We expect activity to return after lights out.
As an experienced pet owner, nothing breakable on lower third of tree. Hope you all have a safe and enjoyable holiday time.
That is wonderful, Julianne! Special scritches for Scottie.
I love these Christmas Trees, etc
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Bernie Fitz
UUCSR Hadley House
Thank you, Bernie!
Happy Christmas to you!
Thanks, Brenda! And to you and yours.