Alright everyone, let’s get real here. I’ve never had a ‘living’ Christmas tree before (well mostly, keep reading to see the one exception). Seemed throughout my whole childhood someone was allergic to every scent known to man; no scented flowers, no perfumes that have strong scents, no real Christmas tree…the list can go on. Also, I’m 100% sure as you are reading this my Mom is too, cursing my name over that rendition of my childhood.
As an adult I didn’t care either way until I moved to California. It was the first time I wasn’t going to be going home for Christmas so the traditions were on me. When I went to get my new artificial tree I was astonished at how much they cost. So that idea went out the window!
I needed a new plan. Luckily, I thought to go to the gardening area and found a small potted tree. It was thirty bucks and I was sure all my hand-made kid ornaments will fit. Done deal and I was thrilled!
Let’s fast forward a bit to when Gil and I moved in together. We went the route of an artificial tree that was pre-lit. Purchasing it last minute because we knew they would be on sale. We used that thing for 12 years! I loved that tall and thin apartment sized tree, even when there was only one string of lights that could still light up. But we sold it before we moved (you know, purge before you go kinda thing). It sure did live a good life, and I hope that it’s still making people smile each December.
This year, we ended up with a choice since we are in temporary digs. When Thanksgiving hit the kids were missing their friends and San Diego so much that we decided to do the most fun thing we could think of: pick out and cut down our very own real Christmas tree. So, that is just what we did!
We drove out to Texas Hill Country, to a place called Pipe Creek outside of Bandera, Texas. Walked around a bit learning about the different kind of trees you can get and then decided on one! Gil is not the dilly dally kind of shopper I am, so it was almost all business and we had our tree in no time.
Cutting it down was a fun novelty and we all got a hand at it. Daddy was the one that ended up making it go “timber!” While LL helped carry it out. We all enjoyed it. Even when we got it home and 2 of us got a mini headache for one day. Guess that allergy thing is real after all — you’re welcome, Mom.
As I mentioned in the last post we’ve been missing Daddy a lot since he started his new job, but this time he didn’t miss out on anything! It was a great time for us all to be together and get into the holiday spirit.
So fun! We were the opposite. This was the first year we didn’t have a real tree. I got an artificial one before Thanksgiving – thinking a real one would become a fire hazard by Christmas. I had the intentions of buying a real one after thanksgiving, like usual. Well turned out everyone got their tree super early and by thanksgiving almost all the tree farms were closed! And there were slim pickings at The grocery store. Sooooo then I ended up getting another artificial tree (and when they’re on sale they’re the same cost as a tree in San Diego…hahahaha. But I got the one I’ve been eyeing for a few years. Next year though. Real. We need a real one.
Oh wow, that seems to be a trend with holidays this past year! Everything in the grocery stores were just as wonky for seasonal items. We got our tree the day before Thanksgiving, the earliest I’ve ever had one. I thought it was going to be a problem making it to the end, but it was still standing tall and healthy green when we took it outta here. So, three threes for you next year????