[Critique Group 1] submission for 1/18/17 session

[sitting.duck at springmail.com]

Hi group
This was inspired by the prompt in November when I was encouraged by attendees to write up my holiday story. I tried to do it for the 53 word contest but couldn't get it down to the word count. I finally got it to come together for this month’s critique session.
Writing memoirs is new for me. Does it need more or less information? What about the ending? Is it sufficient?

795 words

The Groove In the Ceiling
by C. S. Boyd

Christmas was never anything particularly special to me. Sure, I loved getting presents and like every other child, I eagerly awaited the moment we all gathered around the tree and opened our presents. I waited with dread and excitement to see what Santa would bring. Then, All the anticipation and waiting was over. The holiday was over. Everything until another twelve months had passed. What a letdown.

I never knew why, but My dad always made sure we had a tree for Christmas. No matter whether we had anything else or not, we had to have a tree. He did his Christmas shopping on Christmas Eve and a trip to the Christmas Tree lot was always one of the stops. He normally came home with a nice but modest tree. I realize now, that he probably waited until Christmas Eve to get a decent tree at a discount.
We got out the old worn decorations and put them on and then put our presents under it. I never really saw the attraction. It was always interesting to me that we all gathered around to put it up and decorate it, but I was the one who got to take it down and put everything away all by myself after the holiday was over.

Christmas further lost its glitter when my brother went off to college. Then, My mother passed away a few years later leaving just my dad and me. 

Not long after that, my brother got married and he and his wife came to live with us.

It was Christmas and we had all been going about our secret business of picking that special gift for each loved one. I wanted a set of lego's to uses bricks to build a model of my dream house and a drafting set. 

On the last class of the last day of school before the holiday I sat watching the second hand on my watch. 
Ten, nine, eight, seven, six ... 
"... and everyone have a Merry Christmas. See you next year," my Chemistry teacher was saying.
RIIINNNNGGGG!
"Woot!" 
I grabbed my books, hurried to dump them in my locker and headed with a brisk walk to the school bus line. The final step in my goal to wish this place good-bye for the rest of the year.

I heard someone call my name. I stopped and turned around walking backward to continue making progress toward my goal, but I stopped completely when I heard the person say:
"Would you like the school Christmas tree?"
My mouth dropped open and thoughts of I should ask my Dad sprinted through my mind. Then I thought, I don't have time to do that. I have to make a decision. Then I wondered what my Dad might do if I showed up with a Christmas tree. How would I get it on the bus. Would they wait for me to put it on the bus?
"I guess so," I heard myself say. "But, I can't get it home."
"No problem, We'll bring it."

I went in the front door with the men following me with the tree. 
"Daddy," I said, "they gave us the school tree."
Much confusion followed as they tried to get this huge tree in through the front door.
Then, they tried to raise it up. It was too tall and the top dug a deep groove in the ceiling tile my Dad had worked hard to put up several years before. 
More confusion as they pulled the tree back out.
My dad got a saw and they cut off the bottom so it would fit.
The tree finally in place, we thanked them and wished everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

The old decorations we had used for years would never do.
"We need new decorations for a tree like this," said my Dad.
We went to town and bought red, green,  & gold balls with glitter on top. We got new lights and tensile, and one of those white tree skirts to make it look like there was snow underneath. 
Back home we all joined in to decorate the tree. I pulled out and scattered homemade star, angel, and bell ornaments from Christmases past among the new. A few candy canes among the branches supplied the finishing touch.
It was beautiful. The whole house smelled of pine. My brother plugged in the lights and the tree came to life in a cascade of blue, green, red, and gold. The fake snow under the tree sparkled between the gifts. Dad got out his camera and took a picture.

To this day, I can envision that groove in the ceiling and relive that very special Christmas.