sprite writes
broodings from the burrow

December 7, 2021


virtual advent tour 2021: day 7
posted by soe 6:00 am

Virtual Advent Tour 2021 badge -- 400 px

I’m sitting in our living room with the lights down low. Our tree is replete with colorful lights and sparkly baubles, and I thought for our first Monday of December, I’d share our tree with you.

Most years, Rudi and I go and cut down a tree ourselves. We’ve bought from a school fundraiser and the farmers market before, but that’s the tradition I grew up with, and one we usually enjoy. However, this year we were pressed for time, so I opted to reserve one from an orchard, having been very pleased with the tree I bought from them last year. You could select a tabletop option, 5′-6′, or 7′-8′. I didn’t want to run the risk of getting a tree that was shorter than me, so I opted for the biggest size. We didn’t have to worry about it being too short.

Oh, Christmas Tree

Rudi sawed off those top two branches, and I strung lights around the tree and added our tree topper, a snowflake. My tree has 500 lights. Possibly I could have used another 100, but this is a good number.

Oh, Christmas Tree

Next come the ornaments. You might think that I throw a tree-trimming party so I don’t have to decorate the tree on my own. And while that is true, these days, it often comes down to me decorating the tree while other people sit and chat with me.

Oh, Christmas Tree

Here you can see one of my oldest ornaments, the angel on the horse, and my newest, a volleyball snowman, a gift from one of my teammates, Jennifer. There are also ornaments from former colleagues, a college Secret Santa, and my parents.

Oh, Christmas Tree

This year, my friend Susan brought her kids, and they took care of a gigantic swath of ornaments in the middle of the tree. (My friend Sarah noted that every time they come, they are able to reach higher and higher on the tree.) Holden was particularly pleased with his thought to suspend the bicycle like a real bike, and both he and Caroline commented on how many cat ornaments we own.

Oh, Christmas Tree

We also have a lot of characters from Rankin-Bass productions, particularly Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer. This Bumble was a favorite find of mine for Rudi when Karen and I were out shopping a couple years ago.

Oh, Christmas Tree

Even with the kids’ help, I ran out of steam decorating yesterday, so Rudi and I finished the task tonight, hanging the last couple dozen ornaments while middle-aged boy band singers crooned holiday tunes to us. (I made that styrofoam ornament in nursery school.)

Oh, Christmas Tree

Last but not least, the tree skirt comes out. I fell in love with this at a Bon-Ton in Connecticut before we moved and still adore it, even though it’s not wide enough to fit around our current tree stand. The tree is in a corner though, so it will only be noticeable when Corey starts playing under it and shifts it.

Oh, Christmas Tree

I think it looks really good this year.

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