The Daily News

LFCA Latest Issue: Friday, September 25, 2009.

Latest Post on BlogHer: Parenting after Infertility.

My Status: Fed Josh's almonds to the squirrels. They needed them very badly.

Tuesday, December 02, 2008

The Bong Trees Save Christmas

Picture the most wondrous display of tasteful sparkle lights and multiply that specialicity by ten and then you come close--close!--to comprehending the beauty of the bong trees*.

Every year, an office building between our house and my parent's house cover all of their trees in sparkle lights (okay, they actually leave them hooked up but not on all year round) and it looks like a fairy forest when you are sitting at the world's longest traffic light.

Personally, I love the sparkle lights and think they should be lit every single night of the year, but apparently that's not "good for the environment" and "wastes energy" and "makes Christmas a 12-month affair." Last year, the bong trees went on September 20th.

I didn't necessarily expect them to be on in September, but I was a little concerned when they weren't on in October. After Halloween, I reasoned with the twins. But Halloween came and went and still no sign of the bong trees. The lights were still wrapped around the trees, they just weren't...lit.

I was fully convinced they'd be on by Thanksgiving--or the weekend after Thanksgiving at the latest. Perhaps they were timing the lighting to coincide with the switch over to Christmas music on 97.1 FM. But when the lights weren't on last weekend, I almost called the office park.

"This is fucking irresponsible," I told Josh. "Don't they know that there are people in Maryland who actually CARE? Who actually give a shit whether or not the sparkle lights appear. What about us? What am I supposed to do?"

"Actually, we're Jewish," Josh calmly reminded me.

"It's like they are taking away Christmas. From me. It's like they don't even know how much I care just because we're kosher, observant Jews who don't actually celebrate Christmas. As if we don't count. I'm calling them on Monday."

"Who are you calling?"

"I'm calling the main line at the office building. They must have some type of information desk. Or I'll just call an office in the building and get them to look into it."

Josh said exactly what you're thinking.

And then, just when I had given up all hope, when I almost took a different route because who the hell cares if the bong trees are dark--they were on tonight. I could see them as we crested the hill and it was like running into an old friend at an airport when you are completely focused on taking your ativan before the flight.

Because it is the longest traffic light in the world, I had plenty of time to hang out my window and try to photograph the scene. And as we turned the corner, we made the right into the office and did a loop through the parking lot and paused in the center so we could marvel at the trees.

"I just wish we could take them home," the ChickieNob admitted.

Have I also thought about uprooting the trees and bringing them home and planting them in our lawn like an astronaut slamming the American flag into the moon--well, yes. But that would make me a criminal. And the bong trees should be there forever for everyone to enjoy.

I feel like there should be a job where people could hire me to celebrate Christmas for them. I'll decorate your house and go visit your family. While I can't eat the spiral-cut ham, I can sing all the songs around the piano. I don't really do eggnog or drinks that look like eggnog--but I do enjoy a good egg cream if people would be cool with that replacement.


* The bong trees are so named because "the first night the twins saw it at age 2, the ChickieNob sucked in her breath and said, "we found it. This is the land where the bong trees grow." Sure enough, it looked exactly like the bong trees in the version we own of the Owl and the Pussycat."

15 comments:

areyoukiddingme said...

You ought to check out Michigan Ave. in Chicago at Christmas time...all the trees are covered. Best childhood memories of Christmas - going downtown to see the lights and the animated displays in the department store windows. Magic!

Meghan said...

I go right by there on my way to work in the morning and ever since you mentioned the sparkle lights to me last year, they make me smile while I sit at that super long light ;)

Suzanna Catherine said...

The lights are lovely! And I'd be delighted for you to celebrate Christmas for me.

Kristin said...

You are soooo funny. We have bong trees in downtown Cary year round. Come visit!

Jamie said...

There is an office park that decorates their trees the same. Rows and rows of them. I just love it! I tried to get Hubby to put lights on our short, slight and not very filled out Bradford Pear but it didn't quite have the same affect.

Dora said...

Beautiful. Another Jew who loves Christmas lights. My parents used to take us for drives to see the lights on houses when we were kids.

Amanda said...

You'd love the festival of lights at James Island County Park here in Charleston. They string so many of the live oaks with tons and tons of lights. It's beautiful! Of course there are some other hokey light scenes up, but some of them are just wonderful!

Anonymous said...

When I was little it was our tradition to drive to Cameron Village in Raleigh, NC to see all of the trees lit up. I hadn't though of that in years.

Lori Lavender Luz said...

One of my favorite Christmas moments is to play the piano and have loved ones around me singing happy songs.

Will you join me? Oh, that would be as good as seeing Bong Trees.

AwkwardMoments said...

what a great memory you are creating for your children

Vanessa said...

We have trees like that in town. But they're covered in amazing blue lights. It is very magical. wouldnt it be neat if they did each tree a different color.

Jendeis said...

Now I have to know where those lights are. Oh, and I must tell you about the place near my in-laws where the lights can be seen from space. Amazing.

Have you seen the ice blue lights at Friendship Hts? Gorgeous!

Anonymous said...

I agree with the first person. Michigan Ave. at Christmas Time is awesome. I love going there and looking at the window displays and everything.

Carrie27 said...

I agree, I think Xmas lights should be up all year. They instantly put me in a good mood, no matter what else is going on.

Bea said...

*That's* why you call them the bong trees. I was worried.

Great story. I laughed. I read bits out loud to Mr Bea.

Bea