My First Real Christmas Tree

I think it's love. I love our little Christmas tree. I love how it smells. I love how it looks. I love how it is perfectly imperfect. I think it is absolutely charming. Don't worry, I won't make this an annual post (I posted about our tree last year here), but I thought I would introduce you to our tree. My first deliciously sappy, real tree.

Erik and I don't buy gifts for each other, but I have gotten us each an ornament each year we have been married. I have purchased our ornaments from a store near my in-law's house both Christmases. It's a nursery that turns into Christmas heaven in the fall. It is loaded with trees adorned with more ornaments than you can imagine! We haven't been to visit Erik's family in a while so I did not have a chance to go to this year and have, sadly, not purchased any ornaments this year. I have half a mind to skip it altogether, but I am far to sentimental for that. It's tradition!! Anyway, here is the ornament I got last year. Isn't it lovely??? I did have a picture of Erik's, but took it off because it annoyed me - it was blurry. Just imagine antlers on top.... and a bit of a different stance.

And the year before that it was nutcrackers. I only took a picture of one, but the other is completely red - Erik's favorite color.

My MIL gave us two of these beautiful winter wonderland bulbs (is that what you call them??) a couple years ago and this is the first year we've been able to use them! I am so excited! They didn't fit on our mini tree last year, but they fit now! I think they are dreamy!

I received this little angel in grade 4. My music teacher gave it to me... I think it was a reward for something. At the time I didn't know my music teachers family, but it just so happens that I would meet her daughter four years later and we would become friends. We're still friends, in fact. Lynn's mom was my grade 4 choir teacher and Lynn happens to remain on of my closest friends. Fun, eh?

I made this garland out of felt for the tree too. It took forever!!! It's just felt that I cut into 1 inch squares and threaded in no particular order with wooden beads randomly thrown in just for fun. I got the idea from one of my favorite bloggers Soulemama. I own both of her books and I love them! Some of my Christmas presents were made using her ideas.

And of course, all of our childhood decorations adorn our lovely tree just like last year. Erik insisted. Including this terrifying cat thing. Erik insisted on that too.

I don't have a tree skirt (I think that's what they're called) so I just threw some fabric I have lying around under the tree to hide the thingy. You know, the tree holder thingy! It's paisley and not at all Christmasy, but it works and it works well.

Instead of having an angel or a star on top of our tree I decided to make a bow. This is what my mama has always done so it's all I've known. I didn't know what color to choose so I just grabbed red because I know Erik loves red. I think I would have picked something a little less overpowering if I had been thinking more clearly. I would maybe have gone with a gold or something, but I still like it. Actually, to be perfectly honest, I prefer it with nothing on top... like it was when we first set it up, but Erik assures me that he likes the bow (though he is probably just trying to make me feel better).

And here is my beloved husband, writing our Christmas letter by our finished tree. Yes, we write our Christmas letter the week of Christmas. I hope to send them by January. Fingers crossed!

  And that is a look at our Christmas tree. I wish I could keep it up all year.