12.08.2010

HOLIDAYography: The Tree

The centerpiece of all holiday decor is the Christmas tree.  The tree is still real.  I cannot get enough of the smell or the look.  Fake trees certainly have their advantages, but there is something about a real tree.  I love the process of getting a tree (although I think Jim is ready for a fake tree).  We go every year with the same friends to a very small tree farm near Olney, Maryland.  What's funny is that we never really know where the place is despite having "saved" the location in our various GPS devices over the years.  Kim and Buck (our adventurous cohorts) bring the coffee and donuts, and Jim drives our front wheel drive sleigh (Toyota Sienna) every year and we always seem to get there somehow.  Don't ask me where it is - I don't know!

So, we set out at 9:15 on Saturday morning in search of some Christmas spirit and a tree.  Fortunately we found both!



This is DIY at its best - find your tree, cut it down, tied it up, throw it on your car.  No lines, no Christmas themed moonbounce, no gift shop, no blaring Christmas music.  Love it.
Elizabeth is such a great supervisor.  She gets those skills from me.  Hahaha.

And, on the way home, we saw Santa driving his Nissan because the sleigh was likely getting a tune-up in preparation for the big night.


I laughed so hard I cried!


We set up our tree when we got home.  I put the tree in the "toy corner" of the family room which involved moving some of Alex's toys to the basement and other rooms on the first floor.  Alex doesn't seem to mind.  I always start with a plastic trash bag to protect the floor, and then an old towel on top of that. 

As you can see, we have a swivel Christmas tree stand which is a fantastic invention. Tree crooked?  Hold onto the tree, press the button with your foot until it is straight then release.  Easy!

Woops - little bit tall.  "Clark, do you think there's enough room for the angel?"  Why do these trees always seem small outside in a field but huge in the house? 

We let the tree stay undecorated overnight so the branches could fall down and we could water it easily.  These fresh cut trees suck up water like crazy for the first week.  I could fill it twice per day without a problem.  Maybe more often.  I don't add sprite or bleach or any other additive to the water.  I figure the tree lot trees have been cut down for months so my fresh cut tree could probably make it for 3 weeks in my family room without much issue even without water. 

Swing on back tomorrow to hear about the decorations!