With about a week before Christmas we brought the tree in from outside and decorated it. This is the first time in all the years I can remember that I’ve had a real tree for the holiday.

I cut a couple of pieces of plastic, the thick stuff that was left over from doing the cement slabs last year.  I wrapped the ball of the live tree and bound it with some twine.  The other square of plastic we laid down on the rug in the living room.  I placed the wrapped ball of the 6′ live tree in a large outdoor flower-pot and placed the pot on the plastic covering the rug.  A red piece of fleece around the pot and voila! Christmas tree.  Some LED lights and our usual assortment of ornaments and we are all set for the holiday.

Live christmas tree.

After the presents are unwrapped, and all the holiday cheer has been…well, cheered. I’ll take the tree outside and plant it in the hole I dug a few weeks ago in the yard.  Then in theory our first Christmas tree ever at our new house will grow up with us and hopefully long after we’re gone (i.e. retire to Florida).  I explained to my oldest but I think he was less than impressed.  Rather he was focusing on the fact that said tree lacked any presents under it.

Elsewhere the stockings are hung and various other decorations are up.   Supposedly we’re getting snow tomorrow so we may even have a white Christmas.  Ok, that’s it for today.  I have a few more cabinets to install but that will wait….some last minute shopping and wrapping presents to do.

stockings hung with care means we have to take them off to use the fireplace.

walls are still white but it’s looking homey enough for this Christmas