Well here's my big confession, I haven't bothered with a Christmas tree for at least the last 10 years .... I love them, but it just seems like too much of a hassle to put up and then take down when December has been my busiest working month and I end up being home and aware usually about 2-3 hours per day from mid November until mid January.

I do however love the things .... and still continue to collect ornaments ... and give them as a fun gift to work acquaintances, etc. (not every year, but about every 2-3 years - something really special that I make - usually beginning in April that year).

My favorite trees are the real ones -- or if artificial -- ones that look real ... and I prefer an assortment of ornaments that are unique and most have a special memory or person who is attached (emotionally) thru it. I like having white lights (that don't blink) AND colored lights that do blink. Tinsel is really pretty, but I don't really like having to hang the stuff, so if it were me decorating the tree, I'd go with strings of beads.

Truth be told though, I like the look of all kinds of Christmas trees, it's nice to be able to see what different people put up .... and

thanks PF, because it's also nice to read about the trees that people put up!

BTW, I don't think there is a "should" when it comes to trees except that you should do what makes you happy.

picky, bitchy, picky. :hair:

You "shouldn't" post before 09:00. :coffee:








:rofl:

We prefer a live tree, our fav is a Frasier Fir 6-8' tall, but in recent years our financial situation has restricted us to using the plastic job the "out-laws" passed down to us. Most of the ornaments are keepsakes given to us by MIL every year since we married, along with, of course, the 2 commemorating the years our babies were born...after 32 years, it takes a pretty good size tree just for those, plus we always add some red or blue silky balls that help "unify" the tree...among the keepsakes are some handmade ornaments my mother created just before she left us in '98...this year the tree's still not up, & when & if it goes up may be put off till we get to the source of the missus' belly pains.

Just heard an ad on the radio promoting the "green" aspect of buying locally grown live trees, since they're 100% recyclable, 1 to 3 trees are replanted for each one cut, & buying local cuts down on the fuels used for transporting them to market...sounds good to me...

Over the years trees have included: real ones, fake green, one of those aluminium ones and one year when my dad was away sick in the hospital we put lights and decorations on my mom's plant stand.
Have used a wide variety of decorations homemade and store bought.

This year is the first year of using the pre-lit fiber optic 6ft. tree. We have kiddo's ornaments and Boog's childhood ornaments on it and a santa on the top cause the angel didn't fit. I just relized I don't have any childhood ornaments.

Have done color themes in the past but if I had all the trees up I would want at the same time I would need one in every room, and maybe more rooms. :)