It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

Inspired by a friend's blog and her recent posts about decorating for Christmas, I decided to do a little Christmas post of my own... this will most likely be the first in a series of two or three as the decorating projects continue.

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On Friday, I went and picked out a Christmas tree.  The previous two times I've done it, I've been alone, because Jeff was deployed.  This time I was alone as well, because he was at work.  I went on a mission this time, still remembering the GORGEOUS tree I'd found there two years ago, a huge "White Pine" with the softest needles.  I called them pine feathers. 

I was hoping to find another one of them and I did.  I was also hoping I could get another 8-footer or better... and I did.  For their size, they actually aren't very heavy.  I think another species of pine at this height would be quite something to try and carry, but I didn't have much trouble lugging my selection to the truck and then into the house.

Stood up in the tree stand for the first time

When Jeff came home from work, after he was shocked over my choice of a giant tree, we took it back out of the tree stand and trimmed off the end of the trunk.  Then it was back into the stand and off with the twine. 

The last time I went to get a tree, it was 6 below zero and it took a while for the tree to settle and fall after the twine was removed.  This day it was in the 40's, so as soon as we cut the twine off - whoosh! - the branches fell. 

Big, pretty, soft tree.

I think Jeff thought I might be a bit crazy, haha, but I love our huge tree.  I think this one is even wider than the last one I had picked out.  The height is about the same - I remember having to stand the other one behind the lights in the same spot.

We put several strands of lights on and then I decorated our stair railings like I normally do - with pine garland and white lights.  No pictures of the lights yet, they don't look as good in the daytime.  Maybe I'll try and get pictures of them tonight.

Last night I hung a bunch of ornaments on the tree, but Jeff says it still needs more.  Perhaps I'll do another ornament session tonight and then get pictures of the finished tree.  Funny thing is, the last time I got one of these trees, I only put lights on it and two small ornaments.  I thought it was plenty beautiful enough on its own.  Jeff says we need ornaments though, so this one is getting decked out!

This morning, I put on the classic Christmas music and broke out my box of paper snowflakes. 

A few winters ago, I stumbled across how to make them (I'm sure I made them as a kid, but had forgotten!) and I went crazy - cranking out hundreds of them in all shapes and sizes.  That first Christmas, I covered every glass surface in the house with them.  I skipped last year, but this time I wanted to go all out so this morning I decorated several of the doors and windows along with the glass in our entertainment center. 

I still have more windows and doors to do, maybe the bathroom mirrors too, haha.

Our living room window - it's much more festive now!

We haven't ever decorated outside, but I'm thinking of putting lights in some of the windows.  A couple of years ago I had bought several strings of lights and different types of hangers on clearance after Christmas.  If our big move comes together, this will probably be our last Christmas in this house...  I'd like to make it a good one.