Jamie Patterson Herald ReporterIt kind of started out like the Christmas favorite Twas the Night Before Christmas.
I settled down for a winter nap last Saturday. Visions of sugar plums and green beans began to dance through my head.
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter, I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Here is where it starts to shift from the classic storyline. I didn’t rise to find a peaceful moon upon fresh snow. There was no sleigh, eight tiny reindeer or any of that.
I saw my husband speeding up our driveway with the biggest Christmas tree I had ever seen in my life.
Coming in almost on two wheels, Jason parked the truck right in front of the front porch.
I knew what he was doing. He was trying his hardest to bring in the tree, the boxes of decorations and other seasonal items so that he could run into the woods to get in the deer stand.
I opened the door and began to grab boxes that he had already started bringing up on the porch.
“Where do you think we should put the tree,” he asked, already decked out in his full hunting gear.
“I guess in front of those French doors,” I said, pointing to a small area in our living room.
Within seconds, the tree was in the stand and being pulled through our front door. As Jason raised the tree up in the air, it began to dawn on me just how big this tree was.
It was huge, gigantic, tall, round, all adjectives apply here.
“Gosh, that is a big tree,” I said. “And it hasn’t even fluffed out yet.”
Jason went into this story about the price of the tree. It was higher than last year’s purchase. And with a price that high, he said he aimed on getting the biggest tree on the lot.
Well, mission accomplished.
Jason gave me a kiss on the cheek and ran out the door,  visions of bucks and does dancing in his head.
When our son James woke from his nap, he was stunned.
“Wow,” he said, as he made his way into the living room.
The tree remained untouched while James and I began putting up stuffed Santas, train sets, Christmas villages, nativity scenes and other decorations. Decorating the tree is a family thing in the Patterson home, and we had to wait on Jason to return from the woods.
When night fell upon Yazoo County, Jason came back to a half-way decorated Christmas wonderland. All that was left was the tree.
“It looks crooked to me,” he said, standing back.
“Oh, it’s fine,” I said, grabbing a line of lights. “It will do.”
Well, it wouldn’t do for Jason. He said the tree had to be perfect, and it would stand straight.
With the sound of Christmas tunes and James banging a train against the wall, Jason made his way under the tree.
Sounds of Jason grunting under the enormous weight of that tree bearing down on him soon joined the festive sounds. But he did manage to get it straight.
It was a great time as Jason and I decorated the tree. James helped out with the smaller ornaments.
And in the end, it was a beautiful sight. The Patterson tree was complete, and it was truly a sight to behold.
I am glad Jason bought the biggest tree on the lot. Big is a word that seems to go with the Pattersons. We go all out for everything.
But I am a little worried about Jason’s idea to put up lights around the house. Knowing him, he will light up the whole block.
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Jamie Patterson is a reporter for The Yazoo Herald. She can be reached at 746-4911 or by email at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .