(Un)traditional Christmas

We didn't spend the traditional Christmas time baking cookies, wrapping presents and watching traditional fairy tales either. Instead, we went to the Jizera Mountains to sell Christmas trees. For Luba it was a childhood dream come true and for Veronika it was another great adventure with her cowboy. That was our livelihood for three weeks.
On the first day we met at the designated spot where a camper, a folded fence and a toolbox were waiting for us. A few moments later a truck honked and the nimble hands of the haulers dumped hundreds of trees in front of our "house". We spent the night building a fence around our villa and sorting the trees by species, size and quality. To this day, without blinking an eye, we can tell a spruce from a Norway spruce or a Caucasian fir from Bohemia from a Caucasian fir from Denmark. The separation of the pine trees is on the left...

We slept in a caravan that hadn't been heated from the start and we were romantically smoked out of our mouths without lighting a cigarette. A red nose did not mean a heavy dose of alcohol, but a raging scythe even when one should be sleeping.
In the early hours of the morning, following crazy instructions, we assembled a wooden booth that was central to the cash register, record keeping and retail sale of Christmas paraphernalia.
Even though it was cold, and it was a bitter cold, there was still plenty to do. To keep our Christmas Kingdom clean, safe and always having something to offer.
Everyone who visited us was warmly welcomed! Even if they just wanted to have a look around or check prices. We know very well that for many people buying a tree is a tradition and they want the best piece! We also met people who were at the mercy of the Christmas hustle and bustle just to have peace at home. And a good percentage of them even went to us with the bribe of redeeming an already booked beauty. Unfortunately, they cried over the wrong stump. A word is a word, and no price can override it.
Even though we were constantly cold, our hands were cramped and we were severely tired, kindness and tolerance were always maintained even for people who were not having their day.
And what about on Christmas Day, or December 24, when our contract officially ended? We were left with some trees that we could sell off "paper" and therefore the proceeds only go into our pocket. Yes, it could be nice, but it was a much nicer feeling to just give the tree to someone! No money, no queues and just the look of disbelief from people wondering if we really mean it! "Free? Just like that?"
Yeah, that's how we did Christmas, without the bonus money, but with a good feeling!And to finally recharge that Christmas time, we put on Czech Christmas classic, decorated the heating fan and finally fell asleep warm.