Sunday, November 24, 2024

Christmas Tree

 Ok y'all...... I think I need a little kick in the seat of my pants to get me going.  My Christmas tree is up and it is all lit up.  I think I have 600 white lights shining on this tree.  

The issue here is that I am not wanting to pull out the containers of Christmas decorations!! 

This has NEVER been something that I have dreaded doing.  I honestly think that the cold I had this past week has zapped my energy.  I can blame it on the cold.... 

Thanksgiving is this coming Thursday, so hopefully I will get energized enough to tackle this job.   JOB??  it's not really a job when you have the right attitude.  



         a portion of my tree from last year!!


I've always considered decorating the tree as a cherished experience.  I love creating a themed masterpiece for my family to enjoy.  The girls always helped me when they were younger, but now I do it by myself and Sam always gives me two thumbs up for what I created.  



                    My tree in 2019


I have ALL KINDS of decorations.....I have containers full of rustic decor, elegant decor and even whimsical decor.  My tree is NEVER the same each year.   I guess it depends on what kind of mood I am in when the day of decorating arrives, as to how my tree will look.  I keep my family guessing each year!!  LOL



              LOL....those beautiful icicles....


When I was younger, our Christmas tree was an ALL DAY EVENT.  My dad would take us driving through the Country side as we looked for the perfect tree to cut down...  Most often, it was a tree growing near the road, but yet tucked in amongst other trees.  It would be perfectly hidden, just waiting for us to cut it down.  I'm pretty sure that my dad had been eyeing it all year long.  

When we got it home, us kids could barely wait for dad to get the stand put on it and bring it in the house.  He and my mom would hang the lights while my sister, myself and two brothers would sit eagerly, just waiting to see who could get the first Ball hung on the tree.  

Of course, no tree was complete without the hanging of the icicles.  I think the 1960's marked a golden era of Christmas decorations and icicles.   Believe me, the use of the icicles was very liberal in our home.  They would transform the tree into a sparkling Winter Wonderland..  This is what our tiny eyes saw... 

I have to laugh because I think that mom was secretly removing some of the icicles even as the four of us kids were putting them on.  

Those were simpler times and what I would consider as the timeless magic of Christmas years!!  

 Wonder what my kiddos would think if I decorated with a few icicles this year?  Hey...I might have just found some encouragement to get my tree decorated.  Stay tuned to see if I have a tree full of icicles.  

shug

29 comments:

  1. If that would make you feel better - I would do it. Shug - your past trees were gorgeous. I have never seen such a beautiful tree. Mine is nothing like that. I think whatever you do - you do well.

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    1. LOL...I laughed at your comment....I would have welcomed that little kick. Thank you for liking my tree. I LOVE decorating.

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  2. all beautiful trees..... but, the fantastic one is icicles .....
    Have a great weekend

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    1. I agree Tanza.... those icicles are so special

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  3. Oh Shug, I smiled big when I saw that Christmas tree with the icicles. We called it tinsel back then, and my mom used to put some on her tree every year with red balls. It was a simple tree, but oh, so pretty. Thanks for the memory of that. I loved hearing about you hunting for that perfect tree with your dad and decorating it with the icicles. Your tree last year is beautiful with all the red and the candy cane theme. I look forward to seeing your tree all lit up, Shug. It was a big deal in our house as well, and an all day thing. Your lovely side bars go perfect with your post today. Loved every bit of this post.

    ~Sheri

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    1. Those old icicles just had a special glow about them....I often wonder if kids these days know what they have missed. We always had a real live tree up until just a few years ago. My daughters grew up having live trees and they tell me each Christmas that having the live tree was one of their favorite things.

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  4. You have such talent. Our trees have always been mish mash of stuff. Of course, with our son gone now, we cherish the homemade ornaments. Wishing you a beautiful Sunday my friend.

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    1. Thank you Linda...I do love to decorate. I can totally understand that those things are so precious, I would do the same.

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  5. Ah...yes... the tinsel and icicles for the tree which was always a real tree, are my earliest memories. Lot of work to add the tinsel one strand at a time but so beautiful when done.
    Now our family puts up the same artificial tree every year. Somehow after the kids grew up , it became my sole duty to decorate the entire thing.
    I like doing it but as get older it does get to be more of a "project". White lights and Disney ornaments plus souvenier memory ornaments and some kids ornaments that they did so long ago.
    Your tree from last year is amazing. What a piece of ART...
    Sue

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    1. Mine job too Sue...After the girls left, I somehow got the full job of making sure the tree is up. My MIL quit putting up a tree like 20 years ago. There are times that I understand why. lol..

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  6. It's funny to hear you say that because I did not get out all of my usual stuff this year. We put the tree up yesterday. Most of the ornaments are ones we don't always use, the decor too. Just felt like letting it be different this year. Also, some if our lights from last year have gone kaput, so we have a strand of red and a few whites this year. It looks like a candy cane!

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    1. Makes me feel better Sandi that I am not alone on using stuff I don't normally use. My lights were the same this year on this tree...I had to add two strings of lights.

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  7. My tree won't go up until Thanksgiving night at the earliest. I remember those icicles and I always loved them. To me they just made the tree look magical. As an adult I used them but stopped when we had two chocolate labs that would stand next to the tree and wag their tails sending icicles flying everywhere.

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    1. I was not going to put my tree up until after Thanksgiving, but this is a very odd year for the family. A couple of grandsons are all call at Christmas, and will be here for Thanksgiving...I just had to go ahead and put it up.

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  8. We used to chop down our Christmas tree on our land every year. We stopped that in 2011 when all the trees burned down in a fire, so our Christmases are even lazier now. We still have the memories. ❤️

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    1. Cutting down the tree was so much fun!! Those were great days back then.

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  9. Different every year? My, you're so creative, Shug! I do remember the tinsel on our tree every year, too. It was all the rage in the '60s, that's for sure. Enjoy the decorating!

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    1. I know Martha...sounds crazy doesn't it.. I still have all the old ornaments from when my kids where young. I actually have way too many decorating containers. I may need to do some cleaning out.

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  10. Wow, my tree looks the same every year. Good for you!
    I remember decorating with icicles as a kid. Mom would always tell us to just use two at a time, or we would have a tree full of clumps of them!

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    1. My sweet husband says I have OCD and he is most likely correct. I love change. Yes...those icicles were so very special

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  11. How beautiful these are! Are you sure you weren't a professional decorator for Neiman Marcus? My favorite (of course) is the 60's era and your family memories. I used to get so exasperated by the icicles ... but have to admit they weren't half as bad as the year we used Angel Hair. Remember that? My hands and arms itched for days!

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    1. Thank you. I could only wish I were a decorator. This is exactly what I would have done when I graduated from High School, but at that time, the demand was not there and I just never pursued it after having our family. I love decorating.

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  12. I still remember how exciting tinsel was we were were kids. I vote for a lot of it, and I'm looking forward to seeing what you decide to do.

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  13. Our tree was always full of icicles growing up. Also, my mom made all the ornaments with the beads and sequins. But I'm like you - I usually have a theme and it might change from year to year, depending on the mood :)

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  14. Love your trees!! I have looked this year for icicles and can't find any! I guess this younger generation have no clue!
    hugs
    Donna

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  15. Your trees are over the top! I am confident that you will find your Christmas mojo and once again impress the heck out of your daughters. Start the week by playing Christmas music, that should get you going!

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  16. counting myself, you are the 4th blogger that is having trouble decorating the tree. my SIL does't blog but she always does the whole tree at one time. last week she shopped for a new tree and due to cost did NOT buy a prelit, like the one that died. she put the tree up and 3 days later it had no lights. she finally got the lights on and had to go buy more, it took 3 days to get the lights on. she waited until Saturday, 7 days since she bought the tree, called her granddaughter, high school senior who has helped her decorate her tree since she was a toddler, begged her into coming and they did half the ornaments and Janice put the rest on yesterday. I gave up on tall trees in the early 90's when I got the nook, it used to have a 3 foot tree, they got smaller every few years and 2 years ago I went to a 17 inch tree. I sat it out last week, and fought the lights, fairy lights for 3 days, end of 4th day, I stuffed them in a ball in the bottom and each day push and pull. this means 2 weeks sitting there an no ornaments yet.l
    its maybe a Christmas Virus???
    I love icicles and our tree had every limb and needle with its own icicle, mother used to say SANDRA do not THROW the icilces like that. I have always hated putting up the tree and the lights and the ornaments. I love seeing it but not doing it. good luck and can't wait to see what you choose. all the ones you showed us are gorgeous.

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  17. Wow you should be a professional tree decorator! Gorgeous. We used to cut our tree down when I was a kid. It was fun. The worse part was finding the tree; we’d hike for hours until the right tree was found. By that time we were hungry and a bit cranky. Dad would put the tree on the roof and we’d stop at this Italian restaurant in San Jose for dinner. That was tradition! And those icicles! We would throw them on the tree then mom would go over it, making it look less raggedy. It was always so magical.
    We’ll put our tree up this weekend and I’ll be doing something
    different as well. I’m excited to not put out as much decor as I usually do - the challenge of restraint and finding that sweet spot!
    I think your house must be the place to be during Christmas.
    Have a great week.

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  18. Having a Christmas tree used to be a tradition in our family. When I was younger, my grandmother's house was decorated for the occasion, with different theme each year, the entire family & extended family getting together on Christmas eve, with a program performed by us (the younger generation then) before we'd open the gifts once 12 midnight came. I had beautiful memories of the past & Christmas is still my most favorite occasion.

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