What kind of Christmas tree do you have in your home? For many years now we have enjoyed an artificial tree. Gasp!! Years ago we would get a live tree and every year the needles would be on the floor before we knew it. With an artificial tree we are able to put it up after Thanksgiving and enjoy it the whole Christmas season. Yes, a real tree smells heavenly and truthfully is heavenly. Our children still have live trees in their homes. As the years have advanced we want to still enjoy a large tree. Our tree has the lights already on it which is so easy. I remember many years being frustrated with the strands of lights that needed repair.
A Christmas tree is truly a walk down memory lane. Angie (our angel) is put on top of our tree as she has topped our tree for her fiftieth Christmas. Ornaments from our parents adorn our tree along with ornaments made by our children as children. Honestly we are unable to put all of the ornaments on our tree. I used to put up another large tree in the living room, but it's not practical as our family has grown and we need the room for people and not trees.
If you would like to read about our old German ornaments you can go Here
The tree is the first item that we bring out to start the Christmas decorating. Along with candles in the windows, we prepare for the most wonderful time of the year. 🎄🎄🎄
Martha Ellen, your tree is gorgeous...so full of lights and beautiful ornaments and memories! I love that your angel has been topping your tree for fifty years!
ReplyDeleteI remember loving your post last year about your German ornaments and the history behind them. I am on my way to find that post...
Merry Christmas to you! Enjoy that wonderful tree!
How sweet of you to remember about the German ornaments, Cheryl. I should add a link to that post here.
DeleteMerry Christmas to you, my friend. ♥
oooo!!! all the picture are so beautiful and so Christmasy ...
ReplyDeleteHave a great fun-filled December...
Enjoy the Christmas season, Krishna! ♥
DeleteYour tree is beautiful. We too have gone to an artificial tree, now I'm wishing we had a pre-lit one. I love the history on our trees--the ornaments that remind us of other times, friends, and places. I hope you are having a wonderful December!
ReplyDeleteI've always thought a Christmas tree is a history of the family it belongs. The pre-lit tree is a life saver to us. Enjoy this special season, Dotsie. ♥
DeleteYour tree is beautiful Martha Ellen. I love the peanut ornament in your new header! Isn't it lovely to have so much history, heritage and love wrapped up in our ornaments? I need multiple trees too, but started putting some of my larger ornaments along my mantel.
ReplyDeleteArtificial tree here too ~ I'm getting too old to be sweeping up needles out of the carpet every day ~ and they hide themselves, so last well beyond New Year, a gift that keeps on giving {lol}
Enjoy your beautiful tree again this year and thank you for sharing it ~~~Deb xoxo
Deb, I can remember a time when only "real" would do for us. As the years go by our standards have changed. What a nice idea to put your ornaments on the mantel. That way you can still enjoy them. Have a wonderful day, my friend. xoxo ♥
DeleteOh it is a beautiful tree with beautiful ornaments. I, too, prefer quantity over quality in this decision for artificial or real. This year, I do have a real tree outside on the wee deck. Just enough and the smell of pine and balsam is very pleasant indeed. Keep enjoying this Merry Christmas season.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Vee. I hope to see your tree on your deck. I'm going to put one on our patio soon, but it's artificial. Merry Christmas, my friend. ♥
DeleteYour tree is so pretty! I'm sure you had wonderful memories as you hung your ornaments, especially your tree topper! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeletePilar, Angie was one of the first ornaments we bought after we were married. She's quite special to us. Have a wonderful day! ♥
DeleteYour tree looks beautiful! I too like to put the tree up first. I love that you have the same tree angel for so long. You don't look old enough to have been married 50 years! I was staring at my decorating realizing that when our Grandson is walking and getting into things that I will have to approach my decorating differently! I like your German ornaments. We gave in to using an artificial tree a while back. Like you said the needles would drop and they just don't last long enough. I live in an area where they grow them and could have anything I want. I love the smell of them but that doesn't last forever either. The artificial ones are so much more practical. Blessings to a happy holiday season!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Liz. We've been married 49 years, but Angie is on her 50th year as we bought her soon after we were married in October. I married very young-still in college. I'm looking forward to seeing your decorations as I know they are beautiful. It will be so exciting when your grandson comes to visit. Children always make Christmas so special. Have a great day. ♥
DeleteOne of the special things about Christmas tree ornaments is that they often bring back wonderful memories of when our children were little and the excitement they felt about Christmas. Your tree and ornaments are lovely, Martha Ellen.
ReplyDeleteYes, Cathy, the children's ornaments bring a flood of memories from Christmas' past. Tears come when I gaze at these and remember. Enjoy your day. ♥
DeleteWhat a gorgeous big tree. My daughter puts up one artificial one and one real one. On the faux tree she sticks a few branches off a real tree into it for the smell and look. I go artificial all the way now. Too lazy to do the real one. lol I went to a 'themed' tree the last couple of years as I parceled out all the kids. They picked out ornaments that we had collected over the years that they loved or had a special meaning for them. It is fun now to see them on their trees.
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful Sunday night- xo Diana
Thank you, Diana. I like your daughter's idea of putting real branches into the artificial--very clever. I should have the children pick some of their favorite ornaments from the tree this year. Enjoy your evening. xo ♥
DeleteYour tree is stunning!
ReplyDeleteI adore it!
We also have an artificial tree.
In fact, we have several. : )
My parents always did...
Steve's family always had live trees.
When we were first married, we had beautiful Frazier Fir trees every year.
And then...as you said...the needles got to me!
Also, I too enjoy putting it up around Thanksgiving.
And enjoying the hassle free beauty for weeks on end.
Have a cozy week enjoying your beautiful tree.
Thank you, Billie Jo. I think most of us will go for a tree that will last longer at some point in our lives. I hope you enjoy the weeks leading up to Christmas. ♥
DeleteThe tree looks beautiful and I especially enjoyed the close-up of the German ornaments, they are very well crafted.
ReplyDeleteAmalia
xo
Amalia, I'm so glad we have these old ornaments. Hopefully one day our children will have them on their Christmas tree. Have a great day! xo ♥
DeleteYour Christmas tree is just gorgeous, Martha Ellen! I made the switch to a pretty, artificial tree about 15 years ago, due to allergies. I love being able to enjoy it from the day after Thanksgiving until New Year's Day! It really looks Christmasy here. We had our first snow (6.5 inches) yesterday. As the snowflakes tumbled down outside, I was cozy inside writing our Christmas cards. In the evening, I built a snowman with our sweet, little 'grandkids' next door. It was a perfect December day! Have a happy week, dear Martha Ellen! ♡
ReplyDeleteHello dear Dawn! It sounds very Hygee at your home. It is so nice to enjoy the Christmas tree for an extended period of time. Along with your snow it must be quite lovely! I love hearing you made a snowman with the neighbors--so sweet. Have a wonderful day all snug and hygee in your home. ♥
DeleteWhat an absolutely beautiful Christmas tree Martha Ellen! How I love seeing all your treasures. Have a great week!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Betsy. I'm looking forward to seeing your lovely decorations. Have a great day. ♥
DeleteMartha Ellen, your tree is beautiful. I still have to get mine this week. Your angel has graced the top of your tree for 50 years, that's amazing! The German ornaments are unique and such treasures. I go through my ornaments every year because I am getting quite a collection, and sometimes I give a few away here and there. But it's so hard to give some of them away, isn't it? Now, you mentioned years ago you would get an artificial tree every year. But is this one a real one - it sure looks like it? Wishing you wonderful days this Christmas season, Martha Ellen.
ReplyDelete~Sheri
Sheri, we have not had a real tree for many years. This is an artificial tree. It's so much easier for us. Angie is our most treasured Christmas piece. She's an ole gal, but still watches over our Christmas'.
DeleteNel's decorations look so nice and festive. Merry Christmas to you, dear one. ♥
Your tree is beautiful, Martha Ellen! When we lived in Brooklyn, NY we had an artificial tree for many years when our children were young. It broke one year and we bought a real tree and then ever since--about 10 years. I've been tempted to go back to artificial, as I know it is lighter to carry and easier to decorate, but my husband does not want to store a big artificial tree. So we just bought a live tree again and I'm in the process of decorating it, floor full of needles and all ;)
ReplyDeletePat, I have to admit a real tree is so lovely and fragrant. I know your tree will be beautiful. I'm hoping to get a peek at it on your blog. Enjoy all the days heading into Christmas! ♥
DeleteMary Ellen, your tree is beautiful! But I haven't lived in a home with a live Christmas tree since I was a little girl! My dad always got a rooted tree so he could plant it after Christmas. It was put in a stand in a big wash tub and mom kept it watered. However, when I was around seven, they decided to get one of those aluminum trees with the color wheel! They were tired of the mess from a real tree, I guess. It was different but never felt at all like a real Christmas tree. An artificial green tree followed about five years later, which they used from then on. When I got married, I knew my husband was not the decorating or bringing home the tree type, so I did not expect him to haul home a real tree, so in our second year of marriage I bought a pretty big fat artificial tree at our local Clarkins store which I still use. A few years ago I bought one of those skinnier trees to save space in my living room but nothing doing, no one liked it, so it's back to the original, which is 30 years old now. I have to add my own lights but I like that because i can change from white lights to color if I want to and don't have to worry about a wired in light strand stop working. Plus you can put an artificial one up early and leave up as long as you want. But sometimes, I still yearn just a little bit for one Christmas to have a live tree for that smell in the house.
ReplyDeleteBarbara, your tree sounds lovely and I hope you have it decorated by now to enjoy. My aunt used to have one of those silver trees and I remember the color wheel. She worked for Reynolds Aluminum so I guess that was appropriate! Have a wonderful Christmas and thank you for stopping by. ♠
DeleteOh your tree looks wonderful, and thanks for the link back to read about your German ornaments.
ReplyDeleteWe went over to artificial trees many years ago ... but what is so lovely about Christmas are the memories that old ornaments / decorations hold for each of us.
We hope to decorate our home this coming weekend.
Enjoy this special time of year.
All the best Jan
Have a wonderful time decorating your home this weekend. I am still adding a few more things to the outside. Have a great week. ♥
DeleteHeh. Your daughter has a live tree because of her dictatorial, overbearing husband who insists on spending money every confounded year for something we're going to throw away! I did the math once and just had to go read A Christmas Carol in penance for my Scroogishness.
ReplyDeleteHa, ha, ha, Noel! We were cleaning out some things to give to Amvets yesterday and we came upon our old artificial tree. Samuel said he heard grumblings from you about wanting one! We left it in the attic for you when Peter's ready! Love, Mom
DeleteThe tree is beautiful and no struggling to untangle strings of lights! We have a narrow artificial tree as of last year. I love it. You can always burn a balsam candle or put balsam essential oil in a diffuser for the kids. That was my kids' complaint, like I'd betrayed their childhood memories by getting an artificial tree because they can't smell it. Just wait til they've vacuumed needles for a few years. Lol
ReplyDeleteJudy, I love what you said!! You are so right---wait until they've vacuumed up needles for a few years! I love your sense of humor. Have a great weekend, my friend. ♥
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