I suppose I'm writing this particular post for me. So if you are sick to death of looking at Christmas decorations---and here it is January---well, I am sorry!! You see, I did not start serious Christmas decorating until the middle of December. Then, I had to shop and clean and honestly, I didn't really have the time to enjoy my decorating efforts. So, I left them up, and took lots of pictures. I have enjoyed them so much after the hustle and bustle of Christmas day came and went---so while looking through my photos, I decided to document on a post, the process of decorating our two live trees----I want to remember, that if at all possible, NEXT year I need to address this process of tree decorating EARLIER than I did this year! I also want to document a process that is so dear to me.
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On the morning I decorated one of our two live trees---we had received this beautiful snowfall! It was on Dec. 16th----yes, very late for tree decorating----but a perfect backdrop for my task at hand.
Little Twiggy looked out on the whiteness from our front bay window---she was so excited that our "fresh cut" pine was in the stand---but she was intrigued by the beauty outside.
This was the tree we "tagged" in October, then returned and cut down on Thanksgiving weekend. It sat in a bucket of water out on the patio until I had the time to fill it with our decorations!
This tree---the Scotch Pine we always cut down---is traditionally filled with red glass ornaments. Some of them, the ones in the lower left box, were purchased the first year we were married---forty years ago. We've collected lots more over the years as the size of the trees became bigger and bigger AND because we lost several due to the "playfulness" of several kitties and clumsiness of family members!
Just as I was about to start putting the lights on the tree, Izzie informed me she needed to "go outside". It was pretty cold that day, so I put her in her sweater and added THE STONE RABBIT'S scarf!
One of THE STONE RABBIT'S friends looked very peaceful as he sat with the snow piling on his head and back.
Izzie surveyed the new wintry surroundings then started the crazy and wild running she enjoys in the fresh snow.
Izzie came in, minus the red scarf----THE STONE RABBIT later fetched it from the shrubs.
This was Twiggy's first "tree trimming", so she was exploring every aspect of it. She loved the lights and. . . . .
she helped me with the Shiny Brites!
Over the years, I have put a variety of other decorations on this tree---thick gold garland, red plaid bows, icicles----but the red glass ornaments have always been the major focus of the tree.
This was our tree on Christmas Eve---the gifts had JUST gotten wrapped/bagged that day. The blue ones in the front were my husband's shopping loot. He wisely took his purchases to one of our local bookstores where a "group" was wrapping gifts for donations. Much less of a hassle than the way I did it!
The next day, I moved on to the Frazier Fir that I always buy from a local church---it, too, had been in a bucket of water---waiting it's turn.
Twiggy was thrilled to have another tree to "help" decorate!
This tree was eight feet tall.
I love this old fashioned looking tree---it looks wonderful when I fill it with the "vintage" ornaments I have collected for years.
The mat this (and our other tree) sits on is one I picked up at an automotive store---it's a floor mat. It is waterproof---so if we would have a drip when we water the trees, our floor is protected.
Twiggy got her first peek at some of the "vintage" ornaments.
I store these old ornaments (and many of our other decorations) in "special" boxes I have saved from the landfill! It's so cool to look at them and remember what was originally inside each one.
This was one of the boxes my Pottery Barn dishes came in---given to me by my family about three years ago!
This box held a pair of my daughter's snow boots when she was a little girl---she's almost 30---I AM very sentimental.
On top, I labeled the Christmas contents years ago---looks pretty brown with age! Beneath my label is why I hang on to this box. My daughter tried to spell "Boots", but decided it was easier to draw a picture instead.
My heart always skips a little beat when I pull out this box.
Oh, yes, a Harry and David box!
It isn't sentimental--it just has the best divided areas where I store more old glass ornaments!
Frankie always finds an empty box to curl up in---he was working on moving some tissue around until the pieces were in the perfect spots.
Besides glass ornaments, I LOVE garlands of old glass beads! I am really fond of the multi-colored ones--and I ONLY buy them if they are cheap.
The lights in this photo look a "bit" heavy on the lower part of the tree---because they were! I was decorating that tree like a "woman possessed". Obviously, light placement didn't enter my mind! I'm making a note about that for next year.
I have lots of these beautiful old ornaments----I am particularly fond of ones with writing.
This was a little guy my mom made years ago---I think she and some of her friends were selling them at a bazaar for a fund raiser for one of the groups she belonged to.
I also have several ornaments the kids made when they were little---yes, decorating THIS tree brings back lots of memories of Christmases Past.
A look at the top.
A peek at the Santa waving from the patio!
Sigh----I took that wonderful tree down yesterday---I miss it.
Christmas trees have a way of putting such magic in your home.
Today, I take a final look at the Scotch Pine. I finally "fixed" the star last week---a week after Christmas---and placed it on the tree. It does look mighty fine.
Today, this tree is to be undecorated and removed from the corner that it brighten for the last three weeks.
THE STONE RABBIT sat beneath the tree for the last time.
Twiggy took her place next to the rabbit and the lone present----she has spent hours shredding the bow that used to be on it. She wanted to enjoy a few moments under that beautiful tree, too.
Well, guess that was enough time for Twiggy.
DANA
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