<p>I would LOVE to have an artificial tree. I tried it five years ago. Since then, just after Turkey day, I am reminded by both of them about “the time mom ruined Christmas with the fake tree”.</p>
<p>Fauve - that’s what Yankee Candle is for! One “Balsam Fir” candle jar lasts for a couple years…just pack it up with the tree!</p>
<p>DH talked me into an artificial tree a few years back. I had to go with it since HE’s always the one who had to crawl under the tree to keep it watered.</p>
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<p>Aww, that’s a terrible thing to say! We went with a fake tree several years ago because we got tired of killing trees just for a little temporary decoration! (also we use and reuse gift bags, ribbon, and cards). Nobody in my family says that ‘ruins Christmas’. </p>
<p>We had trees in pots for a few years, but they always die even if you take good care of them and plant them later. In Bavaria, the home of the Tannenbaum, we let the kids each pick a tree – so we had 3 huge live trees fully decorated. One night one of them fell over, and there went years of heirloom ornaments – some of them Swarovski crystal. Live trees, needles everywhere and dealing with the carcass.</p>
<p>For the ‘piney smell’ collect some branches off the ground and decorate your doorways with them. </p>
<p>(we freecycled the tree from a family that was moving, so we didn’t even kill any artificial trees to get it!)</p>
<p>Fauve, I bought the multicolored LED lights last year and I hated them. I wanted to love them, for the sake of the environment, but I just couldn’t. Here’s the problem, the blue is a very, very bright blue, and the other colors kind of don’t really seem lit up by comparison. I would describe it that yes, there were lights ON the tree, and yet the tree did not seem lit up at all.</p>
<p>According to my husband–and it’s possible he made this up–but the LED lights are designed to not project a lot of light outward, so they are themselves lit but are not casting light around them. It sounds made up to me, but maybe one of you will know.</p>
<p>Anyway. I tried to like them. I kept them on, and I decorated the tree. Then I undecorated it three days later and put the old lights on it and re-decorated it. Maybe it would work if you went with all one color–like blue or red–but the multi-colored ones just seemed dull and disappointing. Sorry Earth. :(</p>
<p>My neighbor does their yard with the white LED lights, only they’re not white, they’re this sort of otherworldly, ghostly grey. Can you tell I don’t really like it? I think the LED lights are improving, so maybe the colors are getting better and maybe the white is getting warmer, but I’m going to have to see more before I try it again.</p>
<p>Helenback
Thanks for the information on the LED lights–DH bought new LED’s for the house, I’m going to plug them in and look at them before they go up.<br>
We wired the lights to our artifical tree a couple of years ago, I’m not going to redo it now. The tree is about 12 years old, still looks great–I get a lot of compliments on it, but we hated doing the lights each year…so I bought new lights, extra strings, wired them on with floral wire from Micheal’s craft store. It didn’t take all that much longer than just putting the lights on, and it’s been a couple of years. It really makes decorating the tree a lot more fun.
And I second the pine scent candles. Great scent, no allergy problems.</p>
<p>I personally LOVE the LED’s for the house. I have the “white” icicle lights. I love how they cast a blue-ish hue…it’s a cool, soft blue and looks great with the snow (when it comes). When I first saw them up on a house nearby it took me a while to decide that they were NOT the blue LED lights, which are REALLY REALLY blue. :P</p>
<p>This is our first Christmas without my husband. We are struggling to create some new traditions and hold on to others. It will be a simple holiday this year with family and food. The only thing I have done thus far is pull down a wooden tree that photos clip on and dig up pics of L so that his image is with us. Have considered those potted rosemary trees vs the standard. When the lights warm up, it smells wonderful!</p>
<p>sistersunnie—there is nothing like the familiar scents of Christmas to bring back happy memories. Rosemary, pine, cinnamon, and nutmeg all do it for me! Thanks for the reminder–I am going to get one of those little rosemary trees for my office desk today.</p>
<p>Sistersunnie, I hope that those traditions and memories help to put a smile on you and your family’s face this holiday season and that the memory of your husband will be warm.</p>
<p>Ah sistersunnie, this will be a tough one for you. I am so sorry. I hope it is not too hard and helps you heal. The first holidays have always been the most difficult for me.</p>
<p>I left out a step in my story of planning: uncluttering. Yesterday I started uncluttering the house. I need to unclutter before I can put things up and enjoy the holidays. It didn’t take so long after all and it looks so much better that I wish I had done this months ago! I just put on some music, and between dropping off and picking up D from lessons- 1.5 hrs- I made huge strides.</p>
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<p>Take them in January or February. It’s cheaper (if you stay away from ML King or Presidents Day weekends) and more reliable in terms of snow - Christmas is still pretty early in the snow season in central VT/NH and southern Maine. And it still looks just as pretty and the sleighs are still just as much fun.</p>
<p>Officially, we can start playing the Christmas music the day after Thanksgiving. I am always on the look out for a new cd that is special. Hands down favorite is Straight No Chaser ‘Christmas Cheers’. Their first Christmas album is great, but this new one is fabulous!</p>
<p>Kudos to whoever mentioned them here on CC. Many Thanks!</p>
<p>We start Christmas music today because H and the girls start to decorate OUTSIDE today. Go to brothers for T-giving (in about half an hour) and then come home and watch, ever since the girls have been old enough “The Santa Clause”…Youngest D found that this morning when she first got up. I make hot chocolate with vanilla and marshmallows (yes, even after all that stuffing!)</p>
<p>sistersunnie,
I was thinking about you and crabbylady today. My thoughts are with you both, and anyone else who has lost a loved one this past year</p>
<p>Joining jym, thinking of sistersunnie and crabbylady.</p>