Christmas 1916

"Bhan...what is that?"
"What is what Jules?"
We were standing in our parlor looking at the Christmas tree that had been put up that day.  The room illuminated by a fire roaring in the fireplace and the candles affixed to the branches of a beautiful Douglas-fir.  The tree as one of the new traditions that I had brought into his life, but the glittering silver tinsel that was draped over each sprig of pine needles was new to me as well.  "It's called tinsel, it means 'sparkle'.  It's fine strands of silver.  Doesn't it look beautiful Sweetheart?"
"It is rather lovely, but what do we do with it when the tree dies" he asked.
"Well it's too fragile to keep so it will be discarded" I said.
"Siobhan, is it silver or another metal that just happens to be silver in colour?"
"It's silver Jules."
"You know, I never had to worry about burning my home down or paying for silly silver strings for a holiday or ginger biscuits hanging from shrubbery before you happen to me" he mumbled as he pulled my back against his chest and wrapped his arms around me.
"You were also miserable and grumpy before you met me, so what is your point exactly?"
"My point is that before I met you, my life didn't sparkle so much."

And with that he kissed my neck, just before he snatched a ginger cookie from the tree and sauntered out of the room.