navigation
good reads
internet stuff
- evolt is the best web community out there.
- listen to joel. he knows.
- Cluetrain Manifesto
- A List Apart
- Ask Tog
- Making a Commercial Case for Adopting Web Standards
12/17/2003 Archived Entry: "It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!"
So this weekend Dave and I went out xmas tree hunting... out in the garden centre at one of our local grocery stores. The parking lot is a Christmas wonderland - wreaths, garlands, berries, holly, and a forest of trees. There's Balsam fir, Douglas fir, Fraser fir, scotch pine, White Spruce, White Pine, Colorado blue spruce (and some others I can't remember) to choose from. It's still a *little* early, so we had a great debate about how much needle loss was too much and whether or not we'd be able to keep the tree until New Year's Eve (without it just being a collection of sticks with no needles).
It's all a delicate balance. Do you go just for looks (height, bushiness, colour, needle length and balance), regardless of needle loss or price? Or do you buy a cheap tree that'll keep it's needles but that looks butt-ugly and just try to cover the tree in ornaments so no one notices how scrawny it is? Well we went for lots of needle loss, big and beautiful, and not really very cheap. The guy asked if we had kids or pets that would knock the needles off (we don't). We got a bushy 9+ foot tall Colorado Spruce. One of the biggest and bestest on the lot.
We dragged the huge, heavy and prickly beast all the way home. At *least* 6 blocks. It must've been 200 pounds! By the time we got home my arms were shaking. Dave cut more branches off the bottom, put on the tree stand and then we stood it up, smushing the top against the front porch roof, and squeezed it through the front door. It hit the ceiling - but only just.
In order to get the star on, we had to take off the little branches at the top. The tree was so tall that we needed to stand on a ladder to reach the upper third of it. There was *no way* we'd be able to put the star on after taking the tree out of the net that held in all the branches. So, we nixed the whole "put the star on last" tradition and stuck it on first.
I *love* xmas trees and putting all the ornaments on. It's my favourite part of the whole Christmas season. In fact, I should add xmas ornaments to my xmas list. Turn on the cheesy Christmas music. Make hot chocolate. Have a roaring fire (if you have a fireplace). We trimmed the tree, using all but the most hideous ornaments and tinsle. It's fabulous. I love it.
I don't know if that was the right decision to buy the tree prone to needle loss... but I guess we'll find out around New Years. Just don't touch the tree!
Replies: 4 comments - add a comment
that's one nice looking tree
Posted by web hosting @ 01/26/2004 12:25 AM EST
All the other trees in the forest are upset over Xmas - they are 'pining' for their lost companion... ;o) ho ho ho
Posted by Mike @ 12/22/2003 05:56 PM EST
Just don't go walking round in bare feet on Xmas morning - you could end up 'hopping' mad!
Posted by Helen and Mike @ 12/22/2003 05:54 PM EST
Gosh, what a lovely tree - the perfect shape!
However, it looks too good to be true - I think it's fake ;o)
Posted by Dunstan @ 12/17/2003 11:50 AM EST