Merry Christmas...Tree...

My family has an elaborate faux Christmas tree.

It has not always been that way.

Once upon a time, a popular department store plastic and wire excuse of a tree that adorned our sunroom with a unique lean that had to be leveled with the assistance of a folded sheet of A4 was all we had for Christmas.

There was not enough tinsel across Northern Tasmania to hide its inadequacy.

The tree signified Christmas and that meant so much, but it was half-baked ornamentation at best.

Ridiculously, we then progressed to a 'real' Christmas tree cut and collected and placed in a bucket.

The preposterous over-promising of decorative success was instantly overwhelmed by blocked sinuses, congestion, sneezing, coughing, and a late-night dash to the supermarket for super soft plain tissues without scent to mop up our misery.

For we are a family of hay fever sufferers that no pharmacy can quell nor subdue.

We could not wait until Boxing Day for the Test match and the opportunity to relocate the offending branch of a tree to Mount Direction, staying as far as possible from the hay shed, to exact revenge with the assistance of fire.

And then a year would pass, and we would try again. A conifer branch so giving with sap and needles and scent.

The suffering had to be better than the ridiculous plastic and wire tree with a ridiculous lean. Yeah right ...

Fast forward several years and I stare at our elaborate faux Christmas tree to find inspiration for this column.

Normally, our tree cannot be erected until December 1 for fear of bad luck - like that is going to matter in 2020.

The theory goes that it is bad luck to assemble and display your Christmas tree prior to December.

However, that may well be a myth.

The truth of the matter is that three to four weeks is probably the maximum that a conifer will prosper should it be well cared for in a bucket.

Or perhaps the truth of the matter is that trees should be erected four Sundays before Christmas, which is the beginning of Advent; the arrival of a notable person in Christian scripture and no, it is not Santa Claus.

There are other beliefs signifying that the tree should not be displayed until Christmas eve and taken down 12 days after December 25.

Others place their trees on display 12 days before Christmas.

But, for the first time I can remember, we chose Sunday, November 29.

Surely, this aberration for just one year will not matter. Afterall, we suspect there is no bad luck left in this calendar year.

Many families agree that the Christmas tree should come down on January 6. However, my family's tradition is to have it down before the toss of the coin for the Boxing Day Test.

Although nowadays, that probably has more to do with Mrs W's organisation and wish to tidy up rather than her love of a game that can last up to five days.

Yet what fills my heart with hope is that the views which I express today are no longer completely representative of our Northern Tasmanian community.

Diversity and culture have been the result of families escaping war torn countries or searching for a better life.

Many will not celebrate Christmas with their special religious days falling at different times throughout the year.

For the Muslim community it is Ramadan and Hajj; while for the Buddhist community it is the birth of Buddha, known as Buddha Day; for Hinduism it is Diwali; and for Judaism it is Chanukah.

Of course, many of our local community not from a Christian background will recognise Christmas because it is celebrated where they now live, but the additional days that we can acknowledge brings a richness to Northern Tasmania that should be celebrated in its own right.

And back to our elaborate faux Christmas tree.

I keep my distance because a year in a box tends to attract and harbour the type of dust which is a known trigger for my hay fever.

Therefore, my job is to carry the decorations from the cupboard to the living room to ensure that a trail of destruction is not left behind by our Master 11, nearly 12 elves in their excitement to erect the tree, which makes the opportunity for Christmas gifts to be placed beneath a reality.

If I am honest, the tree when decorated looks stunning. It takes a special person to decorate a Christmas tree; to maintain focus and pattern until completed and to control youngsters who believe their ideas outrank even the most experienced. Obviously, I am not that person.

The Christmas period, whenever yours officially begins, is a time for family. A time to slow down and appreciate the challenges that we have faced and to find contentment in the most precious.

But for some, Christmas is a challenging time with financial hardship and sadness overwhelming.

And for all the decorations, our most important role is to look after each other.