It's Time to Decorate the Tree

I don't recall a Christmas season that started with as much activity as this one has.  Every year, we buy our Christmas tree the Friday after Thanksgiving.  Last year, we forgot to check the condition of the tree trunk before we drove off.



Oops.  Rather crooked.

We learned our lesson and were much more careful this year.


This tree might be the best one we've ever had.  It's the perfect height, stands straight and fills the space beautifully.  And oh, that lovely scent!  We used to set our tree in the living room because we had plenty of seats from which to watch the Christmas morning present unwrapping.  Now that the children are older, we've moved the tree to the kitchen so that we can enjoy it more / see it more throughout the season.  We don't stack presents under the tree throughout December like we used to; we don't give gifts like we used to.  We tend to give more "experiences", such as paying for a plane ticket for one of our children to visit a friend.  These aren't really things to put under the tree.  

With all our fun since Thanksgiving we haven't done anything but water the tree.  I'm hoping that ends today.  I want to wrap the tree in lights, place the angel on the top, and then cover the branches with ornaments that inevitably give me pause as I reflect on the memories each one conjures up.  It's the perfect activity for a Sunday afternoon.  

But first,  I have a birthday brunch to go to. So I'll leave you with pictures of another decorated tree, the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree, all alight as of Wednesday night.

A view from above, just after the tree was lit 

On the ground with the tree, after the fanfare, surrounded by
billowing silver flags and a clear night sky.


Comments

Michele Bilyeu said…
Lovely tree, really almost perfect! But I must say your crooked one sure made me chuckle. One year, I sent my husband on a tree cutting adventure..forgetting he is red/green color blind. He came home with a lovely tree using a forest permit..and it was brown. Really brown. We kept it watered as the needle drop began that first weekend after Thanksgiving and I got to chuckle until past Christmas when we finally sent it off to the backyard for 'bird cookies'. And your New York photos...such great fun. Never been, may never get to go, but these are gorgeous and I could feel the energy of the space and the people that fill it with hope and song, none the less! Love this time of year and all the lights we bring in with all of our different ways of creating and sharing joy!
kathy loomis said…
what a great idea to put the tree in the kitchen!!
Vivien Zepf said…
Thanks, Kathy! It really is wonderful to have it in the space we use most often and that divine evergreen smell seems to permeate the house better from the kitchen. Who knew?