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December 25, 2025
1963 was a pretty memorable year for my family.
We had been living in Rome while my father was assigned to the U.S. Embassy, and during those three years we were lucky enough to meet two Popes (John XXIII and Paul VI) and two Presidents, including LBJ (as
Vice President) and JFK when he visited Rome in July.
We returned to the U.S. in late September and, after a few months of temporary living with relatives, finally moved back into our home in Vienna, Virginia in mid-December.
By the time we had unpacked and caught our breath, it was already the third week of December and all the good Christmas trees were gone.
Always a problem solver, my father bought two trees.
One had a great bottom, the other a great top.
He cut them in half, drilled a hole, inserted a dowel, and joined them together.
Voila
One perfectly good Christmas tree made from two imperfect ones - a beautiful Franken-Tree.
I learned many things from my father, but one lesson has always stuck with me: there's almost always a solution if you're willing to step back and think differently.
Merry Christmas, and don't be afraid to think outside the box.
