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What does your Christmas tree look like?


shazdancer
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Hi, everybody!

You don't call it a "ho-ho" tree or something foolish, do you? Is your tree real, or artificial (fake!)? Did you cut it yourself, or go to the parking lot next to the hardware store? Do you use tinsel icicles, tinsel garland, or do you have the thing flocked in pink snow?

And how about the decorations? Do you color coordinate the whole thing, or do you have an eclectic tree with junior's egg carton ornament made five years ago on it? What's your favorite ornament?

Do you have any ornaments or decorations that come with stories?

I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours.... ;)

Merry Christmas,

Shaz

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My tree looks like nothing because thats what it is. There is not one there. If I had one up it would most likely be artificial (fake!). If I had one I would call it a Christmas Tree cause that is what it is.

Ornaments - Geese I have about 10 large boxes of very expensive ones that I have been collecting since the 70s -they are decorating my attic again this year. -Yes I bought some more this year to put in boxes cause I"m crazy OK?

Here is a picture of my tree ------------>

Oops back again! I forgot Ornament Stories- I used to send my sisterdove a dove ornament but it seems that I wont be anymore. I guess it's kinda late now but if anyone needs an extra dove ornament I have one .

Edited by WhiteDove
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Shaz, I LOVE putting up the Christmas Tree (and that's what I call it....now)!

It was always a big deal growing up and bonding time with Mama. She saved every Christmas ornament we ever made and every Christmas my little brother and I would have fun pulling them out and talking about them while we helped her decorate. We always had a real live tree that the whole family would go pick out together, but the decorating was left to Mama and the kids. :) I remember that when my little brother was about four years old he made a construction paper chain, but, being so young it was only about five or six links long. We always hung that in a prominent spot on the tree, even till I moved to FL in my early 20's. :D

After I moved to FL, I was so poor I couldn't afford anything so the office where I worked gave me the live Christmas tree we had decorated the office with when we closed for a week at Christmas. I couldn't afford any ornaments for the treee, nor did I have a tree stand, so it leaned gingerly in the corner of my apartment. I had a 2nd job at night working for Church Street Station and we got substantial discounts on everything, including food. Some friends and I went to Crackers for their all you can eat scallop dinner and I saved all the scallop shells from everyone's dinners and I made ornaments out of them with a borrowed glue gun and scrap ribbons from work. I strung popcorn and had a very simple, very Florida tree that year. I saved some of those ornaments and still hang them on my tree every year.

I've always had live trees and, after getting married and heavy into TWI, my ex couldn't care less about Christmas, so I got a live tree all by myself every year (he DID go with me one year) and I decorated it every year by myself. It was simple with gold balls, gold garland and red bows or red & white bows along with my few Florida ornaments from that first Christmas alone. The top was a huge red bow with streamers gently coming down from it. I was afraid to put anything else on there for fear that it would be contraband and get us into trouble.

This year I couldn't afford a live tree - they've gotten to be so expensive. :( I got up at 5:00am :blink: on Black Friday, bought a $30 fake tree and have it up and decorated with some inexpensive decorations I got that morning also (and my Florida ornaments from that first year). I looked for an angel to put at the top of the tree, but couldn't find one I really liked, so I have the ostentatious bright light star at the top. :D

Okay, Shaz! I've told you mine. Can't wait to hear yours. :)

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Growing up Jewish, I never had a tree as a kid. :( Then while I was in TWI, we still didn't have a tree. :( Well, I've been making up for lost time. For the first few years, I had real trees, but since they are so expensive here in Florida, I got a fake tree. I love decorating the tree and also have one of those "holiday towns" that I like to put up. My kids (when they were still at home) used to get upset at me. We would decorate the tree. Then I woud re-arrange the ornaments (one at a time) every day until it was time to take the tree down. After a while, we made a deal. I would give the kids their own ornament each year. I was to leave these ornaments alone (no matter how much I really wanted to move them. :asdf: )

This year, I'm going to spend Christmas in Ohio with Ted. Of course, I asked him (nicely) if we could decorate the tree together. My kids asked me if I warned him about my obsession with re-arranging the tree. I told them that I had asked him if I could re-arrange the ornaments if I wanted. My youngest said, "No Mom. Did you tell that you would re-arrange the tree any time you were in the room or even in the proximity. Mom, did you tell him that you would be doing this even in the middle of the night if you should have to get up to go to the bathroom. Mom, you have to warn him." Did I mention that I'm a little obsessed with decorating the tree? :rolleyes:

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Belle, I can't have a real tree in the house---or anything pine for that matter---as I am too allergic....after years and years of sinus problems, my mom gave us a fake tree the year my daughter was born...being broke with two kids, we used all our money for their presents....well, it was the first year I did not get deathly sick with sinus problems...

This year my daughter and her friend actually decorated while I watched, and son hung up 8 stockings...not sure why 8, but he said it looks better that way...:)

One of my close post-way friends owns a gift shop, needless to say, she has a showcase house, but its fun, she has a tree in every rom with a theme, and by her front door(in a rather large foyer) she has a tree she decorates 4x a year. At xmas--its xmas stuff, then starting in January she puts eggs and stuff for Easter on it, then it becomes a serious 4th og July Patriotic tree, and just before xams again, she does Halloween stuff on that same tree...EVERY YEAR she does this, but she is also on the tour for one of the nuns fundraiser's here (xmas house tours. Last year voth my kids were tour guides for her. It helped raise money for something called Casa Angelica...soething the nuns around here are real involved in.

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Dang, Belle! I wish I could ship you out a tree from the West Coast. Up north here they're going pretty cheap, you can get a 5-6 footer for 25-30 bucks. They've been through the roof, years past. But this year there seems to be good prices on them. Ain' no way I'm going to pay 75 bucks for a "nice" tree though.

We cut down trees for years, and then 3 years ago found a good sale on an artificial tree and got it. You look close, it looks real. It's a 7 footer, this year we made a 6 footer out of it. :D It's decorated with a lit star at the top, which we got years ago in Florida, believe it or not - one year when we got two trees, free and neither of them looked any good, so I cut the bad sides off each of them, wired them together and had one fine lookin' tree. The star cost a couple bucks and it's actually a pretty nice looking ornament. It always goes on top and it does bring back memories.

Our family has lots of ornaments we've made over the years, even going back before we had children, and lots of homemade ones the kids have made since they were little tykes. Some sprayed dough things that are kind of cool. Some photo insert ornaments too. We also have some simple colored globe types, plus a whole variety of others. We pick and choose every year and sort of follow whatever our mood is, but always include some of the 'old' handmade favorites. We've got lights on it. I love Christmas, the tree, the whole deal. I love it when it's the only thing lit in the living room and it's quiet.

We have a Christmas village we usually put up under the tree but didn't this year. I made platforms for it and we cover it with white cottony stuff. It's got light, streetlights and stuff. The cats like to play Catzilla with it, but we finally got them trained last couple years. We may put it up yet, dunno, I suspect they may have been consorting last year to play trained and are planning some kind of major attack this year. They're like that.

We burn candles and spray Evergreen and Lemon spray and it's downright outdoorsey. :biglaugh:

Now that our chilluns are older, it's a nice way to do it for us. Come January-something we'll pack it up and put it back in the garage to await another year!

Edited by socks
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Well, the boy and I are heading out to Calif. in the morning for 9 glorious days of family, friends and fun (well, three will be fun with the friends) :rolleyes: (just kidding!)

Sooooooo, although we normally go all out with decorating fun and cut down a "real" tree, etc. - - this year we decided on a "Charlie Brown Humble" tree and bought a little 18" tall live potted tree that already came with ornaments and we'll put a great big one on the top so it leans over a bit (hence, "humble"). :D

I won't be checking in much over the holidays, so Merry Christmas / Happy Chanukah to all!!!!

J.

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I have a fake tree this year. It stands about 4 ft. This year I set it up on my dining room table. Its a farmhouse type table. I didnt put the lower branches on it so could get a big space below. I bought the white,cheap glittering puffy looking tree skirts and bilowed it across the table the whole table to make it look like big puffy mounds of snow. I have been collecting snowmen and placed them straticaly around the table, it l ooks like a winter wonderland.I purchased 3 felt gift bags that are filled with gifts. I have all the ornaments my children made from thier growing years, also some oragami type..it a hodge podge of a small type ornaments.My treetopper is a glistening white snowflake.

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It's fake, but at least it's green and piney-looking :P

We call it either a Yule tree or a Christmas tree. "Yule tree" because we celebrate Yule and not Christmas, and "Christmas Tree" when we don't want to take the time to explain what we do and don't celebrate. (Us pagans used evergreens before there ever was a Christmas) :wave:

We pretty much have the tree decorated like most folks: blinking lights, ornaments, a star at the top, stockings hung, little santas scatered around the house...

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Oh this is so much FUN! I love reading what y'all are doing! Thanks for starting the thread, Shaz.

I love it when it's the only thing lit in the living room and it's quiet.

I love doing that, too, Socks. In fact, Vixen and I will be doing that with some hot apple cider tonight (she'll get milk, though). If I had known you could get trees cheap, I sure would have put my order in with you!

Oak, I'd love to learn more about Yule when you feel like explaining it. I could Google it, but it wouldn't be as much fun. :)

Jard, I love the Charlie Brown tree! Must be related to my first tree. :D

Sudo, that tree is beautiful. The elves look so happy to be helping, too!

Moony, you'll have to teach us the proper organizsation of ornaments some time. ;)

WW, I'm pleasantly surprised that it really does look real and that the lights came already on it. :biglaugh: It doesn't need watering either. I miss the smell and, I suppose, the motions of driving, picking it out and all that's involved with that, but this will be a new familiar routine before too long. I've adjusted surprisingly well considering I thought it was going to be so anti-climatic and un-Christmas-y. Being the first year I've really done anything since leaving and getting divorced, having the new ornaments helps, too. Thank you!!

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we really lucked out this year. got a parking lot $80+ douglas fir (i think) for $40

it has twinkly mulitcolored lights with matching star on top

we voted not to do ornaments this year. too busy, too much work, too much hockey, too much everything. i'm THRILLED

santa will put multicolored candy canes on it on christmas eve, i'm sure

it looks very pretty as the only thing lit in the living room even without ornaments or tinsel

o christmas tree o christmas tree

much pleasure doth thou bring me

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Mine is about a foot and a half from the ceiling, and about 3 feet off the floor. Looks like a huge tree from outside the windows, but it's only about 3 1/2 feet tall and sits on a 3 foot table covered in a special quilt. We've picked up ornaments from our travels, others souvenirs or mementos of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd etc. year/anniversary of family events. That reminds me... I need to get busy.

Even though it's small it dominates the room, and looks great with its red, green, blue, and white lights on and the room lights off.

I occasionally call it the Christmas shrub, but it's a real tree, small, green and proud.

Edited by satori001
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This year, I'm going to spend Christmas in Ohio with Ted. Of course, I asked him (nicely) if we could decorate the tree together. My kids asked me if I warned him about my obsession with re-arranging the tree. I told them that I had asked him if I could re-arrange the ornaments if I wanted. My youngest said, "No Mom. Did you tell that you would re-arrange the tree any time you were in the room or even in the proximity. Mom, did you tell him that you would be doing this even in the middle of the night if you should have to get up to go to the bathroom. Mom, you have to warn him." Did I mention that I'm a little obsessed with decorating the tree?

Moony -- you sound like a *fire person*.

Always poking a stick into a campfire, getting them embers just right!!

;)

Edited by dmiller
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Jar,,,,I wish youand yours a Hapy Holiday season out there on the coast,,,,would have loved to went wif ya,,,,Cory and I are going crappie fishin in Florida looks like, As far as trees go...I listended to this debate about angels or stars,,,,this morning and I liked the last guy to call in 's response,,,He put up a Santa wif a reindeer chasing Santa.

Just realized,,,I didnt describe me tree,,,,its made out of Cory's welding project.....I nicknamed Santa Do $$$.

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Well as manyof you know we have moved into our cabin on our country acreage. We thought of putting up a real tree from our own forrest of trees in our cabin. We have vaulted ceilings and it would be nice. But we decided not to give up the space.

So .............. we put lights and ribbon on a real spruce tree with real snow already on it, the smallest one in our yard about 25ft. I did not put any other ornaments on it becuase of all the squirrels and the porcupines and such. Instead we hung my antique ornaments, hand blown, in the windows of the cabin with more lights.

Digi

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LittleHawk ....... thank you so much for the post. It is beautiful. If anyway it encourages you to continue to build on your own land it is definately worth it. We are still working on our Ranch which will be completed in the future. It is hard work and Husband and I often find ourselves stretched thin and tired but the sheer beauty of what we have accomplished magnifies a much deeper appreciation of God and ourselves.

Digi :offtopic::dance:

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This is a fun thread. Ours is artificial with a hodge podge of ornaments. We started something years ago that is really cool. But if you decide to do it..you have to send me royalties for every postcard you laminate. Here it is:

Years ago I read to buy Christmas ornaments as souveniers (how do you spell that word?) when you visit somewhere. Well, I sprungboard that idea into this one.

When we go somewhere each kid (and myself..hubby's not into it) buys a postcard. We each write on the postcards (something about our trip) and mail them to ourselves. Later I laminate them and punch a hole in each one for a Christmas decoration. We hang them on the tree and the banister amongst the greenery. I still continue this tradition. (My kids are now teens.) My mother-in-law literally travels the world and sends us postcards from all over the place. I do the same with hers. She gets so blessed and loves it. When guests visit our house they always ask about the cards...and peruse them. It's a meaningful, inexpensive Christmas tradition.

Now...contact me for my address so you know where to send the royalties!!

Another favorite Christmas ornament are my husbands baby shoes...from the 1950's...white with laces and his birthdate in gold on the bottoms.

And up until this year, we have made a gingerbread house each year. They are lots of fun if you like puzzles and construction. You know...like carving exotic Haloween pumpkins.

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I hears ya Digi,,,,we often get caught up in everyday living and perhaps it takes a Holiday Season for us to reflect not only what we have accomplished but what we about to set and do. I wish you and yours tha best! Sounds like ya got a plan,,,congratulations,,,I pray someday we can share our enjoyments together. I still like to travel,,,,I don't look like Santa Claus or act like Rudolph anymore but I might drive through ya neighborhood sometime. And pray tell if'n yer ever through mine you's stop and sit a spell wif me and mine!

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Great topic

i am a newbie at posting pics so i will just describe our tree,

its a white one 7ft tall and dressed with gold and red tinsel and gold and red ornaments,

the star on the top is years old. it looks beautiful.

We were very rebelious in twi days and always put up a tree lol...............

It was for the kids and i didnt see anything wrong as long as they knew it was a time for

giving and great family time to. We have lights around the fireplace and it looks great when

we turn out the main lights, so warm and cozy.....

i guess our christmas would be a bit like your thanksgiving (family time) we dont celebrate

thanksgiving.

but i love christmas, i am the biggest kid in the house :P

have everyone up at 4am cant wait :jump::jump::jump:

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Oh, these posts are wonderful! Thanks for the Christmas present. I'm all smiles.

I'm a nut about getting a real tree. When we were kids, and moved to the "wilds" of CT, my dad got into the habit of taking us to a tree farm to cut down a tree. I have done that a few times with my kids since -- red cheeks and cocoa included.

But there were times when I could barely afford a tree, like when I was first divorced, with two young kids. I was able to buy a cut tree at the Boy Scout sale on their last day for 1/2 off, a nice little balsam for $15. We had very few decorations, so I made a bunch out of pictures cut from Christmas catalogues, and pine boughs collected from tree cutters. Nice.

Last year, I was too sick with Lyme disease to have the energy to get a tree. My bf didn't care, so we didn't get one. But we managed to spend Christmas at my oldest daughter's, and she loves Christmas even more than I do! We also all went to a Christmas Eve service at her church: my daughters, my son, and my mother. Real sweet.

This year, I am feeling great. I would consider myself in remission. I have energy again, enough to lose the weight I had gained, and to jettison the bf, who had turned into something else. My son (who also has Lyme, and is still in treatment) wanted to know, "Can we get a tree this year?" Absolutely! I wasn't in the mood to tramp into the snow, so we checked out the tree sale at my local farmer's market. The first tree he showed us was just the right size, and when I found a bird's nest in it, that was it! The 6-footer was just the right size for my son and me to haul up the stairs and set up in the kitchen. Bird's nest and all.

More about the ornaments, later.

:) :wave: :)

Shaz

Edited by shazdancer
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Shaz, I don't have a Christmas tree, but I do have ornament holders. One holds about 20 ornaments, which consist of 3 ornaments that a local society lady (93 yrs old) has given me. One each for the past 3 years that she makes. She puts only the finest materials on them. She is now in poor health, and I don't expect to see her before Christmas.

Also, on this ornament holder, I have some "Spode" "Christmas Tree" ornaments. I am collecting Spode because I love it, and my godchild's parents are from England, and Spode is made in England. Some day, all my Spode Christmas collection will be hers. I also have my dining table arranged with the matching tablecloth, napkins, bowls, mugs, cookie jar, candy dish, star-shaped dish, plate on a stand, dish towel, and pot holder. And a carafe. I think that is all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I also have an ornament that reminds me of my time in Memphis, ELVIS PRESLEY!!!!!!! And several others. I think it is beatiful.

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shazdancer

iam so glad you are much better and i believe your son will be to.

christmas is not the same without a christmas tree, glad all is well and that

you were able to get the perfect one.

Have a terrific Christmas shaz all the very best for you and your son for the

coming year 2006. It's gonna a be a great one for you. :wave:

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