On the day that Sinterklaas makes his entrance at Willemsoord, I see in the evening <\/span>Through my window, a Christmas tree across the street. Christmas tree? What do you mean. The <\/span>The neon sign of a casino in Las Vegas pales in comparison. The top lights <\/span>red on top, the middle section blue and the bottom yellow. Oh no, wait, the <\/span>The top flashes yellow, the middle section red, and the bottom blue. Or no, <\/span>Wait\u2026 Anyway, it is definitely a uh\u2026 early, cheerful tree.<\/span><\/p>\n It is actually a discussion that comes back every year: when do we steam ourselves <\/span>Ready for what? As early as the first week of October, the <\/span>oliebollen stall. In the months before, the first pepernoten appear in the <\/span>shop. Sinterklaas isn't even in the country yet and the first Christmas trees are already from <\/span>fetched the attic. And all year round, fireworks go off in my neighborhood <\/span>up into the air. I haven't seen a chocolate Easter bunny yet, but that is a matter <\/span>of time.<\/span><\/p>\n Personally, I dutifully wait until Sinterklaas is gone before buying the Christmas tree. Then <\/span>The stress begins. Where and when do you buy it? If you are too early, there is <\/span>on December 25th, half a tree's worth of needles in your vacuum cleaner. If you are too late, then <\/span>you only have the leftovers. The pathetic little trees, the losers. With balding butts and <\/span>crooked crowns.<\/span><\/p>\n So, lesson 1: make sure you are in the right place at the right time. In my <\/span>The case is that it is never that nice-dealer with beautiful trees for ten euros. Question <\/span>Not how, but I always come home with a ridiculously expensive Christmas tree. Okay, it <\/span>is often the Queen of Christmas trees. Two meters tall, fresh in color, <\/span>Full from below, well-filled from above. You could say: she has a substantial head of hair. <\/span>Wood at the door, but in the Christmas tree sense. And although good taste <\/span>Since it is not my most developed trait, decorating it is a party.<\/span><\/p>\n But just as you start to get used to the coziness of such a tree, she has to <\/span>away again. I push her \u2013 wrapped in an old fitted sheet \u2013 into the elevator and throw the <\/span>Queen on a small field. From where the youth quickly seize her. It used to be like that. <\/span>Wrong. I didn't feel like lugging it around and laid the tree on my roof terrace for the time being. To <\/span>to forget her afterwards. Until April. The tree, dumped, rejected, had itself <\/span>bravely managed to keep it alive. There were actually green needles on it. As if they <\/span>made a desperate attempt to regain his favor.<\/span><\/p>\n It was to no avail.<\/span><\/p>\n Another Christmas, a new Queen. Before or after Saint Nicholas?<\/span><\/p>\n RONALD DEN BOER<\/strong><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" It is actually a discussion that comes back every year: when do we get ready for what? Personally, I dutifully wait until Sinterklaas is gone to buy the Christmas tree. Then the stress begins. Where and when do you buy it?<\/p>","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":23277,"template":"","doelgroep":[],"class_list":["post-23276","actueel","type-actueel","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","elementor_library_category-column"],"yoast_head":"\n