Do you ever suffer from massive indecision even when the answer is right in front of your face?  Such is the case with our 7.5′ Christmas Tree this year.  There is absolutely nothing wrong with this beautiful tree except it is just more than I want to handle anymore.  My house is so full especially at the Holidays and I have to move furniture out of the way to make room for the tree.  I don’t want to do that anymore.

Last years tree

In reviewing some old photos recently, I saw a picture of our small Christmas Tree from years ago which was only 5′ tall.  I had placed it on the window seat in our lower level room and it worked perfectly.  It was out of the way, in the window and reminded me that yes this is what I wanted to do.  Oh I scoured Balsam Hills Website and dozens of others looking for just the right look.  I wanted a more European Charlie Brown type tree at a Lowes or Home Depot price.  Not happening!

So then I resigned myself to the 7.5′ tree and decided ok I will just put it upstairs in the living room this year.  Less furniture to move but also a much smaller space.  So with that in mind I commence with decorating hoping that if I wait on a tree the right one will fall into my lap.  Space made, it waits.

The husband says where are we opening packages?  I say well down stairs of course.  He gives me that husband look and says, isn’t the point of opening packages to pull them out from under the tree on Christmas Morning?  Well yes this is true but I just don’t have a space for the tree.  End of discussion.

A few hours later he comes to me and says I have an idea.  Oh no, where is this leading?  Let’s go look for a real tree.  Now this is really a novel idea because we haven’t had a real tree in probably 30 years.  This will buy you time to find the one you want for next year he so considerately says to me.  I’m not too sure about this because I don’t want a crispy critter 5 days before Christmas.  I agree and we go to our local nursery to see what they have.  

I have always wanted a Noble Fir so I head to the live tree department with great anticipation.  Of course I’ve qualified this little road trip with don’t be disappointed if we come home empty handed I’m looking for something very specific.  He agrees to humor me and I agree to humor him!  We check out Frazier Firs which we’ve purchased in the past, we look over the “Victorian” trees which is closer to what I originally had in my head but they are expensive, and way too tall.  And, we work our way back to the Noble Firs and yes these are wonderful the branches are sooo soft, they smell so good, and I’m dreaming of one of these beautiful trees.  Then I check the price tag and the visions of sugar plums derail!  You know the sound the needle makes going across a record.  Well it wasn’t quite that bad but when it came right down to it I just couldn’t justify the expenditure.  The other problem with a real tree is that I have very heavy ornaments and as soft as the branches were, I could just see my ornaments sliding off the tree.  

So home we came, empty handed.

I have now decided ok the husband wants the tree downstairs I will make room.  We get the monster tree off the rack in the garage and he brings it in.  I set up the stand and it dawns on me, what would happen if I only used the top 2 tiers of this tree.  Hmm, could this work?  So I go forth with much trepidation and slide the middle of the tree into the tree stand.  Hmm it’s a tiny bit loose but seems stable enough.  Then I put the top section in and now the angels are singing.  For a moment.  Lights, no lights!  Ok so what if I have to string lights on this tree that already has 450 lights!  Hobby Lobby on a Saturday here we come.  Now I haven’t bought lights for a christmas tree in a long time.  The shelves are wiped out but they have one section of what seems like the right lights.  I think this is odd but I grab 3 boxes and head to the register to stand in line socially distant for an age.

When we get home I immediately set myself to the task at hand.  The husband decides this is the right moment to leave me alone and find something else to do.  I open the boxes and the cords are white!  Uggg!  Do I care I say to myself?  No, once I get the ornaments on no one will notice the white cords.  I hope!  

I proceed to spend the next 3 hours wrapping this tree in white lights with white cords! After a couple of fits and starts the tree is decorated, it is sitting on the window seat and you only notice the cords if your really looking for them.  But the main thing is I only had to hide one cushion and I didn’t have to move any furniture.  No it’s not quite the shape I was hoping for but I feel like it turned out alright.  

I’m just starting to get the packages wrapped!

 This scruffy old owl has decided to nest in the top of this tree with his collection of shiny bobbles.  He’s preparing to weave this ribbon into his nest.

Adding Hydrangeas here and there helped to cover the white cords.  The color had leached out of them so I took out my Glimmer Mist in a few colors and sprayed away.  It worked, sort of!

The large round balls I painted back in 2007.  Good therapy while caring for my dad.

By adding my favorite store bought and hand made ornaments this tree continues to be a family tree full of memories both happy and sad.  It tells the story of who we are, who we thought we were, with hopes of who we will be next year.

Thanks for stopping

Shelley