Putting Up The Tree
Today I put up our Christmas tree. I usually wait until the week before Christmas and then take it down after the Epiphany in early January. There are 12 days between Christmas and the Epiphany, hence the “Twelve Days of Christmas”. I bought this tree when I was in my late 20s. I had moved out into my first apartment just a few months earlier, and money was tight, so I waited until the after Christmas sales and bought this one for $35. It’s one of those where you have to assemble it branch by branch.
First I put the trunk into the base, and then the tree top goes into the trunk.
Looking great don’t you think? I don’t think so either. But it gets better. I put the branches in from the bottom up. Here’s the first row,
(Shhhh….the tree assembly inspector is here.)
second row,
third,
fourth,
fifth,
and sixth row. Done.
The first year I had the tree, I assembled it only to discover that one of the rows was not included in the box. The manufacturer had thoughtfully included a card that I could fill out and mail to let them know what was missing from my tree. Hey people, if you have to include a card in the box, you need to work a little harder at including ALL the parts of each tree in each box. DUH.
Of course, I didn’t get the missing row until after Christmas, so that first year my tree looked like this:
Anyway, once the tree is complete, it’s time for the lights.
Oh wait, the tree assembly inspector is back and has something to say.
“Hey, Female Human, this is great! I can hide under here and jump out at you when you pass by.”
Thanks Kitty, I SOOO look forward to that. Anyway, back to the lights.
And then I put on the bead garland.
Never been much of a tinsel girl, so this is the only bling this tree is getting.
As I was lapping the tree draping the garland thoughtfully here and there, I was suddenly stopped in my tracks. The tree assembly inspector had lost her head and was chasing the garland around the tree finally catching it in her mouth. 
I pulled it out of her jaws and then finished draping the tree with it much to the chagrin of the tree assembly inspector.
Next, it’s time for the ornaments. From a 50 year old angel ornament, a gift from my mom, to pinecones collected from the local cemetery, it’s an eclectic collection.
Come on back tomorrow to see all of them.
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A artificial Christmas Tree?! I’m shocked! lol I guess ya gotta do what ya gotta do being as there’s no woods in the prairie! 🙂
Just don’t want the mess of a real tree, and we’ve got lots of cedar trees, but they don’t make very pretty Christmas trees. Oh well.
I think Kitty takes her job seriously, doesn’t she? Never thought about what a cat might do to a tree…but a friend of mine showed a picture of her new kitty peeking out from behind the ornaments half way UP the tree! Hope Kitty/the tree inspector behaves herself! 🙂
Your story about the tree inspector reminded me of a time years ago when we had an indoor cat. This cat lived for Christmas time and the Christmas tree! After the tree was up, our cat would go to the room that was the farthest point from the tree, but had a fairly straight shot to it, and start running, building up quite a bit of speed along the way. When kitty got to the doorway of the room the tree was in, she crouched and sprang with all her power to the top branch of the tree! The tree swayed back and forth with kitty hanging on for dear life. The tree never tipped over since it was a real tree, and my farmer husband seemed to know how to secure it so it wouldn’t. Kitty seemed to think it was the ride of the year, and tried it out several times during the season. 🙂
Oh my, I can so see a cat doing this. LOL. Mercifully, ours doesn’t climb the tree, she just knocks over the figures in the nativity scene.
Merry Christmas to you and Steve.
Thanks Suzanne. Merry Christmas to you and Harland too! Sometime I would like to see your soaps. I have thought about trying to make some, but gave it up. HaHa
I have the exact artificial Christmas tree. I would have a real tree but for my husband. He wears me down every year. It is more green and more economical to re-use this artificial tree each year, he tells me. So I listen to his argument and it seems right and proper. On the other hand, if I had the power, we’d have a real tree.
Ah! I am vicariously enjoying your holiday decorating. Since my four cats are neither inspectors nor helpers, I’ve given up having a traditional tree. You are blessed with a helpful Kitty.
Kitty behaves herself when it comes to the tree…her weakness is the nativity scene. Last night I found a shepherd in the middle of the living room floor.
I would never point a finger at someone choosing an artificial tree. Yours has obviously withstood the test of time, Suzanne. No muss, no fuss, no watering, more economical, and no allergies! Kitty adds so much to your stories and pictures, I just love it. Can’t wait to see the finished product!