Christmas Past

I found this pic from last year of our blue and white Christmas tree. White lights only. I always get a fight about white lights.. the kids usually win, but last year I insisted on white only, and most of the ornaments were silver, white and blue. I edited a lot to get this "look".

Normally, my tree is very well planned, and each year we change up the colors/theme.

The year I had my first baby girl, the tree was white and pink, pretty sparkly pink bows, and white lights (with wrap to match) in her honor.

Another year it was the "Candy" tree... candy canes, lollipops, both real and faux, with colored lights adorned the tree....

Then we had the "natural" tree-- burplap, homemade dried citrus slices (inspired by one of my favorite Christmas books of all time, Christmas with Marcia Adams..you gotta check her out), cinnamon sticks tied with raffia, gingerbread men, cranberry garland, and punched tin ornaments.

A favorite, the California Beach/Surfer tree.. with a lime green, aqua, pink and orange color palette (I know, crazy but it Worked, I tell ya!)We had starfish, shells, turquoise polka-dot Christmas ball ornaments, little teeny surfboard ornaments, build around a santa in a bathing suit ornament. It was really cute and we got tons of compliments on that one.

I'll have to dig up the photos and try to scan 'em in and revise the post with them when I get to it...

This year, we were barely moved in, when I went crazily through the Christmas boxes and bins to retrieve our tree, lights, and ornaments. My goal was to get something, anything, UP to Christmas up the house even though we are (still!) sitting on boxes......

This is our tree this year: I really like it--initially I was not going to do red, but when I saw that pretty wide red ribbon in my big Chrsitmas decor bin (bought on clearance last year at Sams Club... 3.99 a 25 FT or is it yard? roll-- I mean, HUGE!- ) It looked so pretty... then I had the light blue wrapping paper with the red... I really like the colored lights too. No, not every ornament is red and blue, but how can I not hang the kid's handmade ornaments? and all my babys' "my first Christmas" ornaments, even though they did not "match" the theme? I love all the memories, and it works. Its uniquely ours, this tree. Have a good time Christmassing ( I always loved how Karen Carpenter sings that line in "Merry Christmas, darling... " I wish I were Christmassing with youuuuu....." She made it a verb... I do so love The Carpenter's Chrsitmas album, don't you?