The festivities start early this year.
On the day that Sinterklaas makes his entrance at Willemsoord, I see in the evening Through my window, a Christmas tree across the street. Christmas tree? What do you mean. The The neon sign of a casino in Las Vegas pales in comparison. The top lights red on top, the middle section blue and the bottom yellow. Oh no, wait, the The top flashes yellow, the middle section red, and the bottom blue. Or no, Wait… Anyway, it is definitely a uh… early, cheerful tree.
It is actually a discussion that comes back every year: when do we steam ourselves Ready for what? As early as the first week of October, the oliebollen stall. In the months before, the first pepernoten appear in the shop. Sinterklaas isn't even in the country yet and the first Christmas trees are already from fetched the attic. And all year round, fireworks go off in my neighborhood up into the air. I haven't seen a chocolate Easter bunny yet, but that is a matter of time.
Personally, I dutifully wait until Sinterklaas is gone before buying the Christmas tree. Then The stress begins. Where and when do you buy it? If you are too early, there is on December 25th, half a tree's worth of needles in your vacuum cleaner. If you are too late, then you only have the leftovers. The pathetic little trees, the losers. With balding butts and crooked crowns.
So, lesson 1: make sure you are in the right place at the right time. In my The case is that it is never that nice-dealer with beautiful trees for ten euros. Question Not how, but I always come home with a ridiculously expensive Christmas tree. Okay, it is often the Queen of Christmas trees. Two meters tall, fresh in color, Full from below, well-filled from above. You could say: she has a substantial head of hair. Wood at the door, but in the Christmas tree sense. And although good taste Since it is not my most developed trait, decorating it is a party.
But just as you start to get used to the coziness of such a tree, she has to away again. I push her – wrapped in an old fitted sheet – into the elevator and throw the Queen on a small field. From where the youth quickly seize her. It used to be like that. Wrong. I didn't feel like lugging it around and laid the tree on my roof terrace for the time being. To to forget her afterwards. Until April. The tree, dumped, rejected, had itself bravely managed to keep it alive. There were actually green needles on it. As if they made a desperate attempt to regain his favor.
It was to no avail.
Another Christmas, a new Queen. Before or after Saint Nicholas?
RONALD DEN BOER
