Trimming the Tree

Now that all my family was home again, it was time to prepare for Christmas.  The first step was to put up the tree.  Since it was the week before Christmas when we were finally all back together, there was slim pickins' at the tree lots.  After tromping through a very muddy lot, we chose a nice noble fir.

Cody and Denise start with the lights

When we got the tree home and tried to set it up, we discovered one side of the tree was fuller than the other.  This gave the tree a lopsided appearance.  When placed in the tree stand, the tree didn't look like it was sitting straight up.  Roger fussed around with it for awhile, but we eventually settled on an alignment that looked relatively vertical. 

Finding that one dead bulb!

Then it was up to the attic to get out our many boxes of Christmas decorations.  Over the years, we've amassed quite a collection!  Roger unpacked the lights, and went to work finding the ones that still worked.

Denise shows her disapproval of my photographic documentation

Cody and Denise began winding strings of lights around the tree.  We've got a lot of lights, so they put on as many as the tree could hold.

Cody and Denise checking out another string of lights

It's a slow process to wind lights around a tree.  And you always have to check out the lights before you put them on the tree to be sure all the bulbs work!

The kids admire their lighting work

Finally, the tree was ablaze with lights. It looked really nice.  Next, it was time to add the ornaments.  We opened up our two big boxes full of balls, and other assorted decor.

Bear gets some decoration

It's fun to look through the decoration boxes.  We've got over 20 years of Christmas ornaments collected.  It brings back a lot of memories of Christmas's past.

Denise hangs a Christmas ball on the tree

Putting the various Christmas balls on the tree is always the fun part.  I remember when the kids were little the bottom portion of the tree was crammed with ornaments (up to their arm's reach) while the top was really sparse.

I got Roger to smile!

We can't get the tree decorated without a few mishaps.  This year, it was a couple of broken Christmas balls.  Luckily, it was nothing sentimental, and the vacuum cleaner was already out and ready.

The kids decorated me too

Much to the kid's displeasure, I did more photo-taking than actual ornament placing.

Cody searches for a good spot to place an ornament

I keep telling the kids that someday they'll be happy I took all these photos.  Of course, I'll probably be dead by the time it's finally appreciated!

Putting on the garland

After we'd crammed on as many ornaments as the tree could hold, Cody and Denise applied the finishing touch.  They wound a couple strands of silver garland around the tree.  Perfect!

The finished product

We surveyed our 2010 Christmas tree, and decided it was perfect!  Well.....it did appear lean a little bit, but Roger decided we were done with adjustments and left well alone.

The tree gave our house a nice foresty scent.  I just love the smell of a Christmas tree!  It really felt like Christmas now.  And with all of our decorations up, we finally looked ready.  Time to bring on the presents! 


:)