The Holiday Season is officially underway at the bookshop, what with the annual unveiling of that evergreen symbol of Peace on Earth, Goodwill, and Whatnot. Rarer than the Douglas Fir, hardier than the Scotch Pine, the Norwegian Nude is taken from the Nordic Uplands to complete the perfect entryway display.
A tree that can stand on its own two legs, the Norwegian Nude needs no electrical illumination, aluminum tinsel, or fragile glass bulbs – but makes its own statement by elbowing out a corner near the counter, bare as intented, save for a strand of interlocking rings constructed of paper cut from the pages of a vintage copy of Modern Arborist.
A festive crowd was on hand for the topping out, and a joyous shout went up as the boughs were given the final touches. Aromatic mugs of wassail (Wassail (/ˈwɒsəl/, /-eɪl/; Old Norse “ves heil”, Old English was hál, literally: be hale) A beverage of hot mulled cider, traditionally drunk as an integral part of wassailing, a Medieval English drinking ritual intended to ensure a good cider apple harvest the following year.) were raised in a celebratory toast to the season, and the ceremony was capped by a collective rendition of Handel’s Messiah and Hallelujah Chorus.
You can tell by now why I’m not a successful fiction writer. It was just me, struggling with an off-center tree-stand – long past the timely practices of our Rose District neighbors – but a decoration is finally installed.
I think our tree may be a direct descendant of the Charlie Brown cartoon Christmas tree (a reference for those of you who may remember the Peanuts/Snoopy comic strip…). Homely, but heart-felt.
However lacking it is in flashing lights and tinsel, I like to believe the ever-evergreen is just happy to be out of cold storage in the loft above the office.
We’re in the spirit here, just a little slow to get things kick-started, and obviously still waiting for the corporate decorating squad to make their way down from the home office to finish up the task. (Expecting that to be sometime after New Years… More fiction.)
We’re serving up lunch 11am to 2pm, (and no surcharge for a tree-side table!), so…
Come visit!
McHuston
Booksellers & Irish Bistro
Rose District
122 South Main St. Broken Arrow, OK!