Friday, December 2, 2011

Advent Calendar Dec 1 Christmas Tree

OK, I know I am a day late, but have been out helping friends with no power, so I'll do 2 posts today!
We always got and decorated our tree on Christmas eve.  I thought it was an old family tradition, until one year when I was a teen, I learned that my folks did that because they could get a tree cheaper on Christmas eve, and budget in a large family in the military was always important.
Since I got married, the trees have varied over the years... from tabletop small trees with cloth and wood ornaments impervious to pets and small children, to very large and elaborate.... but one thing has always remained the same... it's always a REAL tree.... no artificial trees in our house!!! I love the smell and the sight of the tree and the beautiful sight...
We have set up a tree every year, even when going to Texas to in-laws... with a siphon watering system, and not lit, they last! And we set them up early, not on Christmas eve. I want to smell the noble fir for the whole month!
We moved into this home 17 years ago, and it has a 10& 1/2 foot ceiling.  The first year we put our normal 6 footer, and it looked very sorry, so our son asked if we could buy a larger tree, now our big extravagance each year is the 9 1/2 foot real tree.  here's what last year's looked like!

Each year, our children get to pick out a new ornament, and then when they leave the nest (perhaps in the next year or so), they will have a whole collection of ornaments to take with them! There are Bambi & Thumper, Garfield & Odie, Santa on a trike, penguins, etc.... It will be hard to part with them, as memories flow as we decorate the tree each year.  Dad & James do the lights , then Katie (when she's home) & I put up the ornaments...


No comments: