blessing the Christmas tree

this evening i walked next door to deliver some mail to my neighbor, Sister Vincentia. there were 2 Christmas cards addressed to her that had erroneously been put in my mailbox. she invited me in to look at her Christmas tree with the lights and ornaments in place. i'd seen it in its bare, naked state several days ago when she first got it. but this evening she had her living room lights turned out so that the lighted tree shone in all its glory. it's an unassuming little tree, sparse of branches, handcut in the Jemez Mountains by friends of Sr V. she said it's the kind of tree that's used for candles set on on the branches. i've seen pictures of candle trees, but have yet to see one in person.

Sr V even had me put on a special pair of glasses, similar to 3-D glasses, that made the mini lights look like multi-colored snowflakes!! awesome!

V was going to bless the tree and invited me to participate. i've never even heard of such a thing, although according to Google, it's a regular Catholic tradition. you'd think that with me being the good Catholic that i am, cough, cough, that i would be familiar with this. au contraire, mon frere. i asked V if participating meant i had to lift my leg to leave my mark. no, she responded in her best nunly demeanor, which really means she guffawed good-naturedly.

V read the lines of blessing, and i responded like a good church-going congregant would, except that i'm no such thing, as we all know. but i haven't completely forgotten congregant responsibilities so i spoke my lines on cue, with a nudge to the ribs here and there. i even got to sprinkle holy water on the tree!

the tree blessing was a very special, quiet moment in the midst of the holiday hubbub and folderol, and i am touched that Sr V invited me to participate in a tradition that obviously holds a lot of meaning for her. that's why she's the good Catholic and i'm the lapsed Catholic ;)

next up with V: the drinking of some of my new special holiday tea from Harney and Sons. date and time to be announced. invitations will be in the mail soon. if you don't receive one, blame the Post Office, or maybe Santa's elves. those little guys are always up to some kind of mischief!