The Tree Is Up

Ta-da! Our Christmas tree. Marco & I were quite late getting one this year, and went to 3 nurseries and one Homebase on Sunday, just to be confronted with the leftover trees that nobody else had wanted. I was ready to give up when we took one last look at a roadside stall and chanced upon the perfectly bushy, lush green tree. We decorated it last night. Yay. 
There's always carols, there's always tipple, there's always an argument about arranging the lights. The cats are always surprised by finding greenery in the living room, but are then forever fascinated by the low-hanging baubles.

We do not yet own very many really meaningful decorations. Some are festive gift toppers or little trinkets that have accumulated over the years, most of what hangs on the tree are cheap-and-cheerful pound store finds and IKEA bargains, but I do try and buy a new bauble every year. The Red Cup is this year's investment. High class, I know... I get so excited whenever the Christmas coffees hit Starbucks that I had to buy it when I saw it. The gold maple leaf was our first new bauble on our first Christmas tree together, and I bought the robin at a local craft fair last year.

After the baubles comes the tinsel and at the very last, Marco places the topper on the tree. And after that, we sit on the sofa for a while, marvelling at our decorating skills and sipping alcohol. Even though I still feel completely disorganized in all other festive areas, in my mind the tree officially starts the countdown to the relaxation and sofa-time that I will get over the holidays.

Do you guys have a tree? Does everybody around here even do Christmas, or do you celebrate Kwanzaa or Hanukkah or nothing at all? If you do have a tree, do you go real or fake? And do you decorate it the same every year or do you have different themes? My Mama does different colours every year, for example. Do you have white lights or coloured? Do your lights flash? When does your tree go up? Let me in on it!

© Text & Photos - Annika - All The Live Long Day (unless otherwise stated).