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Remember last year’s hanger tree?
ALL of the kids mentioned that tree this year. It was a desperate, make-do idea when I couldn’t see putting up a real tree by myself and had no money to buy a decent-looking fake tree. And yet I think it’s the one the kids will always remember. Morgan wanted me to do it again this year, but over the summer, I’d ordered a nice slim-style, pre-lit (!) 7-foot tree. It sat in a box for months, waiting, prepared for the holidays.
I had Morgan and her boyfriend put it up one evening before everyone descended for Christmas week. It’s still up because I haven’t talked her into taking it down yet and I can’t work up the motivation to do it myself. This tree doesn’t hold my attention. It’s a perfectly lovely tree, but it’s boring.
For a number of years, I’ve had real trees. My favorite was the one Ross and Weston cut down in the woods on my cousin’s farm.
It was too big, too bare, too misshapen, but free, and like the hanger tree, it had personality and character, unlike a Christmas tree-farm tree from the store or an even more perfect fake tree.
I’ve come to the conclusion that “regular” Christmas trees aren’t for me. Putting up a Christmas tree requires effort, and a too-standard tree lacks the inspiration to motivate me. I don’t think I’ll put up a hanger tree again–that was almost too special of a memory now to repeat–but I know that next year, I will do something different, something that will be remembered, something that can inspire me.
Meanwhile, who wants to come over and take this one down? Anyone? Is your tree down? Any great “different” tree ideas out there?
Posted by Suzanne McMinn on January 3, 2013
Thank you for this recipe. We love squash and I am always looking for new ways to use it other than in baking. In the Fall the markets are full of beautiful squash and most of them are strange to me and I have no idea how to prepare them. You are so good with new foods, maybe you can help some of us prepare some of these different types of squash. Thank you.
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No ideas about different, creative tree ideas. This was the first year we put up our big tree in several years because we didn’t have room for it until we added onto the cabin. It was wonderful getting out all of our Christmas decorations and ornaments. We tell the story behind each ornament. Remembering all those special moments, special places, and special people is one our favorite moments of Advent and Christmas.
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I’ve skipped several years without a tree. Put out a bowl of ornaments and call it good. I have stuck found limbs in a bucket, strung colored lights and Christmas cards I’ve received on it–particularly with money for such things that year. I’ve taken a hefty log from the yard, wrapped it in aluminum foil and put white lights on it. That was a fun one. This year I decorated the mantel with purchased garland and objects from around the house–a few ornaments, too. It was plenty and fun and will be easy to undo whenever I decide “be gone”.
Hangar tree is fabulous. I am sure you’ll come up with another found-object tree in the future. I think they are the most fun.
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I’ll bet you have some Christmas-y trees somewhere on your 100 acres. Perhaps next year the boys can go out again and cut down a nice one for you. From your own land!
And, ours is still up too. The house looks so bare when it is gone, I leave it up as long as possible. We now have a skinny, fake, pre-lit one, because of my allergies developed with “old age”. But it looks pretty with all the old favorite ornaments on.
Happy New Year to you and yours…
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so we pulled out the ratty 50s-style silver tree, bought branches for an aluminum tree from the 50s off Ebay, and got to decorating. all ornaments on the tree fit either the spacey theme we went with or they’re from Nightmare Before Christmas. i even found one of those leaded glass spire tree toppers to go on top. we completed the look with rainbow bubble lights.
the tree took the least effort of all the trees we’ve put off, and i like it the best.
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Just an idea for the future.
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We’ve done the cut down your own tree (til all those places got made into suburbs) and now have a nice artificial tree. After buying one “special” ornament each year, saving the kid’s handmade ornaments, getting ornaments as gifts, I now have more than 4 boxes of them. Something has GOT to go as I’m running out of space. No grandkids yet, no daughters-in-law (get going you guys and get me some females to help!) I can’t wait til I can pass some of these memories on to the next generation. Such memories as we take down and put away 1993, the first christmas ornaments, 1981, Radko from a friend.
Whatever you decide to do about a tree–real, artificial, bought-from-a-lot or green clothes hangers, it really IS the memories that last, not the perfection of decorating.
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I was going to do the one with all the houses, but we have a new rescue kitten( 3 or 4 months old). So,we only put non breakable items on the tree and would you believe, he pretended the tree wasn’t even there. Oh well, next year.
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I’ve also seen some pretty ones made with a tomato cage turned upside down.
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I usually put mine up before or by Xmas Eve, and leave it up till the first weekend of January…. just because. =D
When I was a kid, it was a big deal to go to the Christmas Tree lot on Christmas Eve and stay up quite late decorating it. I tried that once with mine, and boy was everyone tired and cranky the next day. This explains a lot of the drama we used to experience at that time of year! Anyway I keep it simpler now and still manage to find a moment or two of magic in the season.
Happy New Year to you!
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I also have a pre-lit, second year for it. Previous years, we bought from a tree lot and always brought home a beautiful fraser fir. This artificial tree I have very, very closely resembles the fraser, but I miss the real ones. I could leave it up for about five weeks without it losing many needles at all.
Your hanger tree from last year was truly a fantastic idea…who knew it could be so pretty? I loved all of the ideas posted today.
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on the other hand – Ihave a friend who has a ranch and loves real trees but doesnt want to kill it by cutting it down – 40 years ago one of his sons noticed the perfect tree was the top of an 80 footer – he told the youngster that no way was he cutting down a tree that tall just for the top but after thinking about if for a minute he decided he just might be able to hit the trunk with his rifle – he tried and did – on the first shot – there was a wiggle and the perfect 6 foot tree toppled off the top of the 80 footer and a tradition was born. He has “shot” the family christmas tree every year every since and all 40 of the trees have lived on to grow.
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No tree here this year, not even the balls on the outdoor tree :( Too busy with work, and I had put up three trees for older clients!
Since the grandkiddos weren’t going to be here (I was there) through the holidays, it was ok for me. I stuck my fake poinsetta’s throughout my grape ivy, hung the polar bear runner on the inside, front door and called it done! Now, I’m looking for the time to take it all down
I usually have a natural tree as it’s much better for the environment ++. My rule of late is ‘no taller than me’…I’m getting older too you know
Next year I think I will have my oldest grandpeep (4)to help cut one ‘no taller than him’! 
I expect that to change in a few years LOL
Calm, happy and healthy 2013 to all
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