Our (Im)Perfect Christmas Tree

Our Christmas tree is probably one of the most "non-frugal" things we do... we insist each year on buying a real tree.  Every year after the holidays when the great sales are going on I am tempted to buy a prelit tree, which would end up saving so much money over the years....but I just can't bring myself to do it!  I love getting a real tree - love picking it, love the smell, love everything.  I especially love all the little imperfections that make it - perfect.  I just couldn't imagine having a cookie cutter perfect tree - no branches out of place, no dead needles, no bare spots.  I have wanted (for years) to start the tradition (i am a tradition-loving girl) of cutting down our own tree instead of buying it from a lot.  Finally, this was the year! 

We headed out a few days early to tag our tree.....

Poor Carly never makes it into the action shots - this is a picture to prove she was there.

Tagging our tree!

"Mommy, can we get this one?!  It's ORANGE!!"

Jon worked the day after Thanksgiving, so Saturday we went to pick it up!  We were glad we tagged it early because it was FRIGID, and we did not want to spend any more time there than we needed to.

BRRR.... borrowing Ellie's gloves.

We brought it home and after a quick run to KMart when we realized half of our lights no longer worked, the decorating began!  We love to go through all of our favorite ornaments - the kids get one as a present each year representing their favorite things or something special from the year.  Of course the little guy still needs some direction - "let's not put 3 ornaments on the same branch" - but overall things stay where he puts them - so yeah, we have some ornaments that are definitely too close, but again those imperfections are what end up making it perfect. 

Decorating was extra fun this year because we had special help from our Thanksgiving guest, Ellie, from England!

And here it is.... our perfect tree.