[sarabethp]

I would love to know what type of tree people put up and what they like to put on it.
I have an artificial tree because we are usually gone visiting for long periods of time since DH is a Teacher. We have two weeks to travel. I finally got one with prestrung lights and it is really nice. We decorate our tree with handmade ornaments and purchased ornaments that we each get to pick every year. The boys have fun seeing their ornaments on the tree. I also have a ribbon that wraps all the way around the tree from bottom to top. It makes it personal to them. On the top of our tree is an angel that was on my families tree all the time I was growing up. My mom made her before I remember. I found her in my mom's give-away pile and rescued her. She now adorns the top of our tree and probably always will.

What is your tree and what is on it?

[SandiC.]

Artificial tree. My DIL is highly allergic to pine trees. I love real ones, but they are messier and I worry about fires, and I hate dealing with the lights. My Prelit artificial tree is so much easier. Actually we have 4 or 5 trees, lost count. Only have two up this year. Big one in front room, next biggest in basement, smaller one in the hearth room by the kitchen, and a little one on the landing upstairs, and a medium one in the loft. The hearth room and front room are the only ones up this year. The ornaments are an eclectic mix. We never do the same thing with them twice. The hearth room tree is the "natural" tree with woodsy sorts of ornaments and no lights. The basement tree is usually the kids tree. Didn't do it this year as we are scaling back the celebration. We have lots of garland and lights up, decorations in the windows, etc. Lights on the trees outside, but didn't put lights on the house this year. DS broke his thumb and managing a big extension ladder was a bit too much this year. Maybe next year. Even scaling back this year, its pretty festive

[MaryJo]

Well we only have one 11 footer in the living room this year. Its so big and full, it takes up the entire french doors to our front porch!

[ChristinaP]

We just bought a new artificial tree this year, we put the old one up and it was really sad looking. Branches were broken and it's very bare! We were lucky, the tree we picked out was on sale with no sale sign!

I let the kids pick out one ornament each from Walmart every year (at least they will have something when they move out!) plus they paint one plaster one each year. I was putting up photo ornaments each year too, but never made last years (had a great idea I still want to do) and still have to do this years.

We actually had a Santa on the top of our tree for a while but this year Tyler insisted that we need a star so I let him pick one out.

No tinsel, cat will eat it. I used to have ribbons but the kids just yank it off so I haven't bothered this year. I always had white lights, strung through the whole tree and left them on each year, DH bought colored lights for the new tree!

We used to have a real tree growing up, I miss the smell. I think I need a Glade plug-in near my tree!
Sara, I think it's wonderful you saved the angel from your Mom's give away pile! I tried to get some of my Dad's parents decorations but they are all ruined. I did find one that looked similar last year, so I have that on as a reminder.

Sandi, I would love to have so many trees! My aunt does that and they are so beautiful. She has one that is all red and gold ornaments and I was lucky enough to find a red ornament with a silhouette of a sailboat on it (they sail!)

[Zaz]

Well, I'm not allergic to pine trees, but I am allergic to oil paint and most live Christmas trees are painted. When my kids are older, we'll get a real one again, but right now, it's not worth the hassle of going out to find an unpainted one. Besides, one year my previous dog thought he suddenly had indoor plumbing. Not a good thing. I've had my little tree since before I was married and it still looks great. We put it up on a wooden crate and it seems plenty tall. I'd love a prelit tree, but I just got done taking all the lights off of one at work and it was an utter pain. I'd have to have LEDs for me to go to that expense. That will be a while. As far as ornaments, I bought the kind that are styrafoam and covered with thread. My DD is also known as "The Destructomatic" so a lot of my ornaments are staying in their boxes this year. We also have several that the kids have made. I'm hoping next year that my kids will be old enough to bring out some of the ones I had as a child. My grandma used to buy my brother and me a beautiful ornament each year and my mom put our height and weight on either the ornament or the box. We just sent my brother his ornaments this year (he's not coming home for about the first time ever) and it was so fun to read them. And as far as lights go, I do a base of white lights toward the interior of the tree and then put big colored globe lights toward the outside. I like lots of color (I'm sure that's a shock) and it takes a lot fewer strings to get about the same effect as the little colored lights. It really glows and it's worth the extra effort.

Merry Christmas!

[Smiles]

My favorite is Noble Fir, but they trigger asthma, so it's a pre-lit artificial for us.
Several years ago I made ornaments with family pictures, which we scatter all over.
We have mostly Peanuts and Winnie the Pooh ornaments, mixed in with a few White House ornaments, stuffed angel bears, and a few other special ones.

[AngRoCamp]

Here's a picture of our new tree this year

Attached File(s)

•  palm_tree.jpg (50.37K)
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[momentousangel]

We have a real tree, we've all always agreed that fake trees just aren't really for us - we enjoy the going out and finding that "perfect" tree as a family tradition - it's just something we've always done. I did mention getting a fake tree one year and oh my, my punishment for that one was the looks of dismay on my childrens faces, ha ha. It's finally decorated after standing so tall and pretty in our living room waiting for us to get to decorate it together. Ex came over with Cola and helped us decorate it too which was an added surprise. We talked about all the ornaments as we hung them. Each ornament has been home/hand-made through the years minus 15 glass balls of which have all been hand altered. I don't know what it is about the lights, but each year it seems I buy new ones and while I do save them for the next year, it's just less of a hassle to buy new instead of having to go through the untangling of lights (whole long story of why untangling lights is such a scary task). Our lights are colored this year. No blinking and no music - first year that they've ever not been the blinking lights and I have no clue as to what happened to our musical lights. We have red garland going around the tree and no tinsel. Upon agreement from the children we decided it best to leave the tinsel off the tree this year out of love for our cats - three boxes of tinsel and several craft ideas that are running through my mind that would be much more cat friendly. Under the tree we have a red tree skirt that is trimmed in green. Atop our tree sits "Father Christmas," as we call him, whom is holding an infant which represents baby Jesus. On a small table next to the tree we open our family Bible to the story of baby Jesus being born and on Christmas Eve I read it to the children as we all snuggle up. We didn't do any decorating outside this year. Mr & Mrs Claus and our other outdoor Christmas decorations are sort of buried in the back of the shed and I haven't had the time really to dig them out. We put Christmas window clings on all the windows and hung red garland atop the television and around the door frame in between the living room and dining room that has 4 small stockings hanging from it. Atop the stereo speakers sits Christmas figurines (small Nativity scene, tea light Christmas candle holders and snow men. Atop the television sits a festive penguin along with two Santa figurines that were gifted to me. On the counter in the kitchen sits a penguin chalkboard that we write inspirational messages or verses from the Bible on and hanging next to the door is a Santa chalkboard with a reminder to bundle up because it's cold outside. On my desk sits a small white Christmas tree that holds sentimental value and on the corner shelf of the bench seating table sits a small green tree in a red boot with holly on its branches. The table is decorated with a special table cloth and there is another small chalk board that lets the children keep track of how many days til Christmas. Two tea light angel candle holders sit on the table and two Christmas lanterns hang on each side of the door. The stockings all hang on our photo wall behind the sofa (although this seems to have my 5 yr old confused because in the Christmas stories she's been read they are supposed to hang near fireplace of which we don't have - hopefully I will have a television that hangs up so I can at least get the fake fireplace I've been wanting before next Christmas). There are some other odds and ends throughout the house for the holiday but far too many to really list - including Santa shaped soap in the bathrooms! Oh wait, there is one more thing I just have to mention. We have Christmas ice trays that make ice molded like a baby in a manger, trees and snowmen. We generally fill these with apple cider or other juices for an extra special healthy snack.

[sarabethp]

I love all these descriptions of everyone's decor. I love to decorate and this is giving me such wonderful ideas.

[sarabethp]

AngRoCamp, on Dec 19 2008, 11:23 PM, said:

Here's a picture of our new tree this year

I love your tree! Perfect Hawaiian Christmas Tree.

[trishy]

We just bought our first artificial tree this year. I have always loved having a real tree, but we spend too much each year on it and then rush to un-decorate it for the boy scouts to haul it away, so this year we bought a an artificial. It is beautiful and looks just like the real ones we have always picked out.

When I was a kid we would go up in the mountains and find a tree, dig it up with roots and then plant it in our yard after Christmas. My parents had a beautiful tree line after 26 years at my childhood home.

Ang your tree is perfect!

My favorite ornaments are those given to me by family and friends. Some handmade and others are mostly glass bulbs with a variety of pictures.

[Bobbi Jo]

Our artificial tree dates back to the second year of our marriage (13 years). The bottom branches are held on with twist ties and every year there are fewer and fewer needles. I have some beautiful glass ornaments and others that I collected over the years, but we stopped hanging them after the first year with babies -- and still don't because now we have a dog that eats them. Our lights are an assortment of 1) a string of purple lights, 2) a couple of strings of white lights, and 3) a few more strings of multi.

It would never make the pages of House Beautiful, but we love it!

[lorac]

This year since I am staying with my sister, we are using her small artificial tree that comes with lights. I've always had an artificial tree as I always love to keep the tree up until at least The 12th Day of Christmas and sometimes even later and a real tree would never last that long. I've been buying ornaments since 1969 and every year I buy a few of the Hallmark ornaments and I have ones that hung on my Grandmothers tree and some from when I was a child. Now I'm not buying any new ones, as I've run out of space on my Christmas tree. And besides since I just moved to New York, all of my Christmas Decorations are in storage in Los Angeles. I'll probably bring them here next year.

I did have a whole collection of Dept 56 houses, but have sold off quite a few of them. Just don't have the energy to put that whole village up anymore, nor the room. I did keep some from the "A Christmas Carol" collection as that's my favorite Christmas story (love Scrooge).

[Glorie]

I guess I am surprised that fake trees won out! There have been a few Christmas' that my DH says, "maybe we should look into an artificial tree after Christmas". But we never do. Loved to hear that Angels were top of the list! Love putting 'her' on top somehow making Christmas begin.

[tiza126]

I have an artificial tree. I would decorate it with all my collectable ornaments, tinsel, lights, garland, and the tree skirt my mom made for me....but the cats keep getting into everything and scattering it around the apartment. So this year, it's a tree with lights only. Very boring. Oh well.

[Julie - scrapaholic]

Artificial for me. Love cute ornaments. so I have a lot of those. I wrap the ends of the branches with strands of pears, and I only use white lights.

[siskitkat]

We have an artificial tree. Both of our moms have allergies, and they sometimes visit during the holidays. We also thought that our cat would wreak havoc with a real tree.
I have ornaments that I got each year as a kid. I continued that tradition with marriage and kids.

[angelaNussbaum]

Im artifical, real ones bug my asthma.

I did put cookies... but we make salt dough cookies for the tree. its so much fun, we roll and cut with cool cookie cutters and decorate! This year we did water colors on ours.

Angela

[goodqueenbee]

AngRoCamp, on Dec 19 2008, 11:23 PM, said:

Here's a picture of our new tree this year

Ah, you live on the AFB? Looks my DD neighborhood! COOL

[goodqueenbee]

Our tree is artificial this year... we tried NOT to have to use it, but finances and weather are not cooperating this year. (Normal expenses have been maxed out and we had to purchase a new furnace on Wed! YIKES!)

So, much to my 4 DDs chagrin, we put up the fiber optic fake again. (Last year I convinced DH to let me have a real tree for a BIG change... I loved it! Smelled so Christmas-y!)

On top of our tree is a jeweled crown. Usually I also add a twig wreath to represent the 2 crowns of Christ (Savior and King). This year we only put up one so we could get done in a hurry... not so fancy, but it works! . (I have an alternate "twig star" but he doesn't like it, so its neglected.)

We have several custom ornaments purchased at our favorite "card store" over the years, but they did not get out this year, either. We have some lovely colorful blown glass ornaments that pretty much "rule" the tree this year, along with a few gift ornaments that arrived from friends just before the tree went up, so they did not need to be "unpacked". No outside lights because DH had minor surgery in Nov during the good weather and NOW the weather is atrocious! (No lights, sorry, neighbors... quit whining, ok?)

A single garland and a few strings of LED lights lend a festive glow! Simple and adequate! Love it! BUT I want to get a LED pre-lit... have not seen them yet. Perhaps next year they will make them like that!

[sarabethp]

angelaNussbaum, on Dec 20 2008, 04:35 PM, said:

Im artifical, real ones bug my asthma.

I did put cookies... but we make salt dough cookies for the tree. its so much fun, we roll and cut with cool cookie cutters and decorate! This year we did water colors on ours.

Angela

Would you be willing to share how you make those!!

[sarabethp]

goodqueenbee, on Dec 20 2008, 06:04 PM, said:

A single garland and a few strings of LED lights lend a festive glow! Simple and adequate! Love it! BUT I want to get a LED pre-lit... have not seen them yet. Perhaps next year they will make them like that!

I saw some at Home Depot. Check after Christmas for sales. They were pretty, but ours is still good so it will have to wait until our current one dies.

[momentousangel]

I simply couldn't take any more of the lights on our tree just staying still so today while shopping I just had to get something more. I got some bell lights that blink and play music as they dance along with several other functions. I'm sitting here looking at the tree attempting to figure out the easiest way to add them so I can show the children when they come home. They will be just as happy and excited that our lights can dance just as much as I am!

Ang, can I borrow your tree when I make a mess of ours after I try to figure out adding more lights after we already put all the ornaments on? It is really pretty and it looks so much easier to handle than me getting poked by the needles on ours.

[CRS]

What a great poll!!

We have an artificial tree that is prestrung with white lights. We bought it at Walmart the day after Christmas a few years back. I love it! We have store bought ornaments, gift ornaments and home made ornaments. I don't put tinsel on it because of the animals (and the kids). And we have an angel on top, with white lights on it, too. I bought a cross stitch tree skirt to make years ago, but it's still not finished. Some day!

[sarabethp]

CRS, on Dec 20 2008, 08:31 PM, said:

What a great poll!!

We have an artificial tree that is prestrung with white lights. We bought it at Walmart the day after Christmas a few years back. I love it! We have store bought ornaments, gift ornaments and home made ornaments. I don't put tinsel on it because of the animals (and the kids). And we have an angel on top, with white lights on it, too. I bought a cross stitch tree skirt to make years ago, but it's still not finished. Some day!

Ha! I've been hand quilting stockings since I was pregnant with my first, about 7 years ago. So I started with 3 stockings and now I have 2 more to finish, LOL! I think I have two fully done. I would have had 3 done, but I had to take it all out of one and start over because I used the wrong kind of batting.

[AngRoCamp]

goodqueenbee, on Dec 20 2008, 06:55 PM, said:

AngRoCamp, on Dec 19 2008, 11:23 PM, said:

Here's a picture of our new tree this year

Ah, you live on the AFB? Looks my my DD neighborhood! COOL

Nope, we're not military Which base is she on?

[goodqueenbee]

AngRoCamp, on Dec 20 2008, 11:40 PM, said:

goodqueenbee, on Dec 20 2008, 06:55 PM, said:

AngRoCamp, on Dec 19 2008, 11:23 PM, said:

Here's a picture of our new tree this year

Ah, you live on the AFB? Looks my my DD neighborhood! COOL

Nope, we're not military Which base is she on?

they were on Hickam several years back. We were there for the holidays and saw lots of palm christmas trees... too cute!

[scraphappen]

I have a fake tree, bought it after Christmas the year before our wedding so it would be cheaper! LOL
We decorate it differntly every year! But my cats are attacking it every night and so it looks different every day and I am sure I lost half my balls!! oh well.
I have spray for my tree that my dh hates to make it smell like a tree. I remember my mom buying the spray at Woodwards and she had it for many many years. so I figure our bottle will last forever!!
But I have to have the spray! I don't know why.

[Gen]

We used to get a real tree AND put up tinsel (which I loved), but the needles and tinsel are too dangerous for the daycare apparently .

[sunnie2004]

for 20+years we had a 12 foot fake tree that was absolutely gorgeous!! it was a monster took up so much room and make my whole downstairs look so beautiful in my old craftmans house. It would take me a few weeks to decorate and my kids when they got older just did not want to. I was a fanatic about it too LOL. As I put each layer of branches on I layered rows and rows of lights and I even used to hand sew flowers and pedals to it ribbons too. I hand made hundreds of glass ornaments with decopauge and they all had beautiful rbboned bows on them to hang with.

I don't have a tree and haven't for 3 years do I miss the monster YEPPERS!! it was such a treat and so beautiful! I am alergic to trees so fake was for us or I would be in the hospital with asthma attacks so bad. My living room Dining room and kitchen we call it the Great room LOL is the size of my old living room and there really is no room ...(our TV is on top of the fridge (honest!!!) I never could get rid of my dinning room table and chairs and courio cabinet so they are still set up in this little room. But I do know the day we move to our new home and have a big space again I will have the MONSTER up in all it's glory!!

We used to have a clothespin with a tissue and pipe cleaner that Patrick made for me in grade school the kleenex had to be replace a few times but I still have it and it will still fly high. The trick was to get the top of the tree decorated and get our ladder and climb up and place it all nice and neatly on top!

Ok Ok I am rambling again!