Trimmin' the Tree

For the past 6 years we have had a fake Christmas tree.  With a new baby, I didn't want to deal.  With a toddler, I didn't want the danger of him eating pine needles.  With a pre-preschooler and a new baby, I didn't want a toppled over tree or a fire hazard.  As you can see my fears started to progress.  This year I finally said, "Ba Humbug" to the fake tree.  I had always envisioned our family trekking out into a forest of pine trees, picking out the perfect one and chopping down.  I found a local tree farm and we headed there this weekend.

  What I hadn't envisioned:  the saw not really making a cut, the kids being bored and my husband flagging down the guy on the ATV with a chainsaw.  The tree was cut and on the ground in about 3 seconds. 

My husband suggested we go for a tall and thin tree.  I was not on board with that suggestion.  It reminded me of the artificial tree in our basement.  I wanted a Christmas tree, you know what I mean?  I opted for the fuller one.  Once it was in our living room, I saw the error of my ways.  That darling man of mine had to literally trim that tree.  He was covered in sap and needles by the time it was all said and done.  Let's keep this all hush, hush.  I don't need to hear him say, "I told you so!"  We decorated it the next day.  Again, I envisioned the family in matching sweaters, singing carols and everyone all a-cheer.  Right, because that would ever happen.  We had Christmas music playing.  The box of decorations got dropped by an over eager child.  Ornaments were broken.  Ornaments were argued over.  Children were crying.  Parents were taking deep breaths.

 My favorite part of decorating the tree is the star.  Our star is cardboard and aluminum foil.  Back when the hubs was a wee one, his family didn't have a star, for some reason or another.  So, his mom cut some cardboard and wrapped it in foil.  After she passed away, we got the box of Christmas decorations she had kept.  Every year we put this star on the top of our tree.  This year was the first year we needed to re-foil it.  It's still as beautiful as ever. 
Five ornaments were broken.  Two were moldy - think applesauce and cinnamon.  A few others lost their hanging apparatus.  We'll be spending a few days making more ornaments.  Gotta cover that tree!