Christmas songs always blast on the radio the second the leaves start to fall, there is never a break. Often the Christmas spirit seems to come super aggressively, leaving us with very little time to catch our breath. I used to despise this, but now, I contribute to it. I’ve written about St. Lawrence University before, and even dabbled a little bit in politics. However, I have yet to write about my favorite part of SLU, the Rebert South Christmas tree. 

Christmas came early this year for Rebert South. Me and some of my lads found ourselves wandering the streets of Canton earlier this year on a night that just so happened to be the eve of garbage day. There was plenty of gently used treasure scattered across the town. We found decorations, plates, cups and even a can of cat food. Nonetheless, none of that would compare to the ultimate jewel that we found just when we were about to head back to school. We almost walked right by the tree of course because it looks like any other tree you would find in the north country. 

I find it very hard to believe that a family would throw out such a perfectly good Christmas tree. The thing was the Cadillac of trees. It had lights on it and everything. It even came with a little box of ornaments to hang on it. We figured that this was as good a sign as any that we needed to take it. God wouldn’t have left the tree out in the open if it weren’t meant for my floormates and I have it. The tree was technically only there to be thrown away, but it was truly there so it could be given new life in our common room.  

You may have walked by the tree. Many people have gazed up while walking past Rebert South to see the tree brightly illuminating the window. It has become a landmark of sorts. However, with notoriety criticism often comes as well. People would ask “why is that tree there” or say, “don’t these idiots know that it’s only September.” We never budged. The tree has stood in the window of Rebert South for nearly two months now. It has grown with me and my floor, figuratively not literally. Things have changed, the days have gotten shorter, the weather has gotten colder, but still the tree stands high in the common room. It has provided me stability in a time of seemingly constant change and entropy. 

Unfortunately, other towers in Rebert have tried to take the tree away from us. Jealousy led a group of hooligans from Rebert North to try and mount a covert operation to take our crown jewel. They came in under the cover of darkness and almost got the tree, but thankfully a late-night bathroom trip of mine was able to spook them off. My nocturnal desire to urinate prevented us from losing the most important artifact in Rebert South history. I was proud of this small victory, but I knew that they would return with vengeance in the coming nights. 

Armed with a blanket and a pillow I decided to make the common room my new personal campsite. I waited out the night in a foreign sleeping environment. The couch was stiff and kind of gross, but the ends certainly would justify the means if the tree would stay safe. Many nights passed with no sign of the thieves returning. But I’m not that naive. One day they will return and try to take what belongs to us. They will return to strip the south of its newly formed identity. But I will be there to defend the tree, for it would do the same for me. Merry Christmas.