Last year, I was getting just a little nervous about my 10 year old Christmas tree with pre-strung lights. Once it's up, typically 3-4 weeks prior to Christmas Day, I like to turn it on when I'm anywhere near it - which could be while watching TV, in the kitchen cooking, or in the sunroom reading - all vantage points for seeing the tree.
I've kept it stored in the basement when not in use, and carefully cover each of the three sections, and then cover the entire thing with lightweight plastic.
Not knowing how many hours were left in its useful life, I purchased another tree late last November (2013). It wasn't easy finding the same, slim, pre-lit tree with the branches which I like, but I managed. However, I didn't assemble it in 2013 because 1) I remembered it taking a long time to first shape a new tree's branches and I didn't relish the idea of adding 4 more hours to the already 40 it takes me to decorate (the whole house), 2) the new tree arrived later than when I was ready to decorate the old tree, and 3) by using my existing tree lights very sparingly last year, it made it through yet another year.
So, this year I didn't take any chances, and pulled the new tree out and shaped it about two weeks before Thanksgiving. The shaping process took about 3 1/2 hours.
I finished decorating the tree a couple days before Thanksgiving, but knew the tree seemed slimmer than the previous one. O Christmas Tree, have you lost weight? You look thinner than you were last year!
By golly, I think she's slimmed down. Here's a photo of her before and after (2013. 2014):
Perhaps only a few inches, but I can tell the difference, can you? I think I like the new look better.
What, then, to do with the other tree? Well, this year, the top section went on the front porch, in my cast iron urn.
As for the bottom two pieces? Well, if a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush, then maybe having two bushes will yield something even more spectacular?
Or maybe I'll just donate the spare tree to a charity when I begin next year's purge. I think that seems like a more logical solution.
Do you like slim or chubby trees? How do you store yours? What's the life expectancy of an artificial tree? I'm concerned that, just like so many other things (appliances, for example), they just aren't made like they used to be. If that's the case, and my new tree doesn't last as expected (is 10 years too much to expect??), then maybe I should keep the old, spare tree.
If you missed my other Christmas posts for this season, you can catch up here:
Traditional Holiday Home, Garden - 2014
Christmas in the Sunroom 2014
Winter Frost Tablescape
Winter Woodland Tablescape
So, this year I didn't take any chances, and pulled the new tree out and shaped it about two weeks before Thanksgiving. The shaping process took about 3 1/2 hours.
Perhaps only a few inches, but I can tell the difference, can you? I think I like the new look better.
What, then, to do with the other tree? Well, this year, the top section went on the front porch, in my cast iron urn.
Do you like slim or chubby trees? How do you store yours? What's the life expectancy of an artificial tree? I'm concerned that, just like so many other things (appliances, for example), they just aren't made like they used to be. If that's the case, and my new tree doesn't last as expected (is 10 years too much to expect??), then maybe I should keep the old, spare tree.
If you missed my other Christmas posts for this season, you can catch up here:
Traditional Holiday Home, Garden - 2014
Christmas in the Sunroom 2014
Winter Frost Tablescape
Winter Woodland Tablescape
Happy Holidays!
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