The Hanging of the "Greens" (?)

Some stories are just too good not to share -
this is one of those.

My Girlfriend tells this story and SWEARS it is true.
I believe her.

The names are not mentioned so as to avoid undo embarassment of the guilty parties.  "DSIL" means "Dear Sister-in-Law".

The story goes like this...

When they first moved to Mississippi my DSIL went all out decorating their very old home which is in the "Garden District" of Natchez. She had the inside all decorated and decided to go "au naturale" for the outside.

She ventured to the outskirts of town along the Natchez Trace to find "ivy." She cut tons of it, brought it home and draped and hung it all around the doorways and windows of the house adding touches of holly and ornaments. She had extra "ivy" so she brought it inside and put it on the mantels of their many fireplaces too. Mind you while she was doing this she had it draped around her neck for convenience sake.

It wasn't too long before she called my brother at work and told him that she was breaking out in welts and was itching terribly...everywhere. He came home from work and by the time he got there he said she was a mess!! Totally covered head to toe in red welts.

He called a Dr. friend who came over to the house to look at her and when the Dr. came into the house he said, "why the heck do you have poison sumac around your doors and windows?"

My brother dared not break out laughing at that particular moment...he just knew better...but some time later it did become something a standing joke. My DSIL never did think it was too funny! Of course guess who had to dress up like a bee keeper and remove all of the sumac?

So now *every* Christmas he says to her..."when is the hanging of the Poison Sumac?"