073 CHRISTMAS CHEER

As a follow-up to the article “And So It Begins”, Canadian Tire is having a big sale on everything, but especially on Christmas stuff.  I finally made the decision to go with an artificial tree and Canadian Tire has some amazingly lifelike ones.  Better yet they are on sale and so the one I settled on is over $100 cheaper.  I ended up getting a 7’6” Noble Fir, which even with a tree topper will fit nicely as I have 9 foot ceilings.

A really nice part about the tree is that not only is it very lifelike it comes with the lights built in.  Over 300 lights.  Renee wanted just white lights, but I like multi-coloured ones.  So, we compromised and I got colour changing ones.  They go from white to multi-coloured and back again. It’s a very nice looking tree and setup is supposed to be easy.  It comes with a bottom, middle and top section.  You just put them together and fluff out the branches and plug it in.  I’ll let you know in a later article whether it was easy.

BOXED TREE

BOTTOM SECTION

In addition, I got some multi-coloured ball ornaments.  We were worried about the possibility of them falling onto the laminate floors and shattering, but these are all shatter proof plastic.  They look like glass, but without the danger.

TWO SECTIONS

ALL TOGETHER NOW

Renee found a couple of tree toppers.  One was a large star made from wood, but it was too big and heavy to be able to go on the tree.  The second was also a star made from twigs and lights, but it was too small to have an impact on such a large tree.  Finally, I spotted a nice and delicate snowflake design, plus it is just the right size and light enough to perch on the tree.  Renee really wanted one of the stars but relented and picked the snowflake.

I also bought another string of 150 lights, but imagine my shock.  Two weeks ago, they were $29.99 and the same string of lights were now $49.99.  I need the lights and would have paid that if necessary, but one of the managers dropped the price back to the same $29.99 because of all the other stuff I was getting.  There is still more to be bought but it will come later.

TOBY KEEPING WARM

Imagine my shock when I picked up the box holding the tree.  Not only does it look real, it feels like a real tree weight wise.  Holy cow, is this thing heavy.  I managed to muscle it into the shopping cart and then into the truck.  Once we got home I lugged it into the garage and then the next step will be to lug it up the stairs.  I may have to do it a section at a time.

The next chore will be to put up the lights.  I’m going to line the balcony railing and maybe around the patio door.  I’ll also be putting lights around the front door and wood columns.  The neighbor across the street has lights lining his lower roofline and I may do the same, depending on my energy and bravery level re going up a step ladder.

I also plan on getting some indoor lights to go around the windows, since I don’t want to be going up a ladder to do those.  I also have a DVD to project on the window called “Santa’s Visit”.  It’s made by the same company that did the animated pumpkins on Halloween, but for this one I must get a translucent covering for the window that will allow the video to shine through.  It says you can use a “frosted” shower curtain, but I can’t find one.

This will also give a neat set of ideas for the kids.  They always complain they can’t think of what to get me.  Since I need ornaments for the tree they can get me some special ones from them or make some that will help to replace all the personal ones that I inadvertently gave away.  Again, it was long before I thought about moving and Dad had just died, so I was not thinking that far ahead re the Christmas ornaments.

So, the shopping for decorations is well underway, and I don’t think I will need too much more, but it will depend on what I discover I need after setting stuff up, or neat stuff that catches my eye when shopping.  It’s hard to believe that it is down to a month left before Christmas and for my first Christmas in the new house.  Almost 9 months I have been here now.