To say we have settled into our new home is an understatement. The kids’ favorite description of the lake house is cozy, and I am in complete agreement, especially now that we’ve decorated for Christmas.
Last year we finally discarded our fake Christmas tree. At just over ten years old, it had served our family well, but I for one was ready to move on. Originally, it was a beautiful, pre-lit tree, but after the first five years the lights became more and more finicky and could not be trusted to stay lit. So in 2008, Jeff and I spent two hours clipping the pre-wrapped lights from their pre-fabricated, numbered branches.
For the next five years, I wrapped lights on the lower 2/3 of the tree each Christmas. It was difficult not to grumble about the slowly fraying limbs and branches that were far too loosey-goosey to fit securely into the plastic pipe that ran up its center. In fact, it was so difficult that I DID GRUMBLE…repeatedly. Still, I made it work because…the tree, in all its ridiculousness, was paid for after all.
And then, in 2013, both the tree and lights were such a debacle, that we gave up and tossed it all after Christmas.
When December arrived this year, I was determined we would have a live tree adorned with working white lights and all the kids’ ornaments.
I wasn’t sure how many lights to purchase, but Google suggested 100 lights per foot of tree height, so I went with it and bought 800 lights for my 6 ft. tree.
I like lights.
That wasn’t enough lights (of course), so I went back to Hobby Lobby and purchased four more boxes. Two of them completed the tree and the last two wrapped garland I placed above the hutch and over the kitchen windows.
Expensive?
Yes, somewhat.
Christmas tree = $49.99 at Kroger
Tree stand = $15.00 at Kroger
White tree lights = $49.90 ($4.99 x 10) at Hobby Lobby
——
Total = $124 and some change
There’s no doubt that fake trees are a financially wiser choice, which is part of the reason we purchased one in the first place years ago. Priorities tend to change with time though, and in my opinion, assigning space in our limited storage for a fake tree is not worth the savings.
Plus, live trees smell divine.
We will reuse the tree stand and lights (replacing as needed), so next year we’ll just pay for a Christmas tree. We’ve decided we are willing to pay $50/year for a real tree.
And by “we” I mean “me” because Jeff could probably go without a Christmas tree altogether and still be a happy man.
Men.
In the meantime, quite by surprise, I discovered icicle lights at the bottom of the light box, and better yet, THEY WORKED. I spent the afternoon hanging them around our front porch. While I’d like to decorate outside a bit more (around the windows, columns, and nearby trees), I already exceeded the non-existent Christmas decor budget for 2014.
I’m very happy with the way things turned out. Without a mantel, I chose to hang the stockings above the kitchen sink.
Even our shared restroom has a warm glow with light strands wrapping the mirror above the vanity.
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas.
Now, if we could just get our cooler temperatures back, I’ll be happy.