Once I found the balls that I wanted, I hooked them onto all of that glitter and light, and voila! Presto! There was a tree on my wall all decked out and looking fine.

Something was missing though. I stood back to figure out what it was and spotted it right away. I was missing the trunk of the tree. That's where the old plant pot came in. When I finished my masterpiece, I took the plug for the lights and plugged it into the wall. I quickly turned around without looking, crossed the room and turned out the apartment lights. Facing the opposite wall, it was pitch black except for this magnificent glow bouncing off my back. It was like a beacon beckoning me to turn around and revel in its glory. So I did.

When I slowly turned around and focused my eyes onto the apparition that blessed my apartment wall, I was nearly bowled over by a joyous feeling of accomplishment. I must have stood there basking in its glory for a good half hour, hypnotized by the tinkling and winking of the little lights, until I realized that I had so much more work to get done and not much time before those kids woke up. But first I thanked the Creator for giving me the gifts that She so graciously bestowed upon me.

I tiptoed into the kids' room and took the boxes out from the closet. I was chuckling all the way in and all the way out of that room. They didn't find a thing and I caught them rifling through every nook and cranny in that apartment for two days. Every nook and cranny except the ones in their room. A triumph that I will carry to my grave, and beyond.

Once I got the boxes safely into the living room, I emptied them on the floor and began to wrap every item individually.