With hundreds of beautiful baubles, red ribbons, crystal stalactites and garlands of gold macaroni, our Christmas tree was always a sight to behold. It was a splendid tree and my memories of life around it are tinged with magic and wonder. But there’s a human side of this high wattage holiday that always circles around the Christmas tree, too. The stress of dragging a 10-foot Fir through the front door and up our narrow staircase; my Mum in floods of tears as she faught with finicky lights; a fight so big between my brother and I that the whole tree came crashing down. It was all as much a part of the season as the joy of finding gorgeously wrapped gifts under the tree on Christmas morning. Father Christmas came! And he ate each and every biscuit!. Oh, Christmas tree, with all your sparkle, shining a light on us all.