Tree 31....Santa HO HO HO Claus

Every year Doug and I (mostly I) come up for a new theme for the big family tree in the den. We usually work on this at least one year in advance. When we found out last year that there would be two new babies in the family, we scratched the theme we had originally planned (nutcrackers) for a new one. Babies and Santa's just seem to go together. We were in agreement that nutcrackers were out and Santa's were in.

(This year, we have already decided that "teddy bears" will be our big theme next year. )

After we come up with a plan the next step in finding a pattern that works for both of us to decorate the tree with. We looked at all shapes and sizes of Santa patterns before we finally decided that the close up of the face would be best for the tree we had in mind.

One day earlier this fall, I had two of my daughter-in-laws out shopping with me and I ran across some glass Santa faces that I thought would go good with our wooden ones. We started picking out different sized faces for everyone in the family. Grandmother, Doug and I got the biggest ones. The six adult( are they really) kids got the medium sized Santa faces and the wee ones got the smallest. Then Kari, the artsy daughter-in-law wrote our names on all the Santa hats.

Next project for the tree was the Ho Ho Ho's. I had seen some at a craft store but really didn't want to pay the price for them. Doug, the ever agreeing husband, promised he could cut those out and might even have a pattern for them at home. He did and a bunch of ho ho ho's later, that pretty much finished off the Santa tree.

I hope you have enjoyed looking at all the trees. They are not magazine quality, I know. They are however a labor of love and enjoyment. Doug and I love to have people in our home during the holidays and they enjoy the walk to check the trees out so it is worth it to us.

Remember, it isn't the perfection in the tree or the holiday decorations that count during the Christmas holidays...it is the warm and giving heart that really counts.

Hope you and yours have a wonderful holiday season. Take time to enjoy it with loved ones and remember to be a little generous with those less fortunate.

Make this a holiday to remember.

Hope you have had "happy looking,

Vera

aka The Christmas Tree Lady

Trees 29 and 30...Mini snowman trees

My mini snowman trees sit on the ledge between my kitchen and the den. These trees also have fiber optics in them but I hate to pick the trees up, turn them upside down and risk losing some of the ornaments off the tree so I just leave them off most of the time. Yes, I know, that is laziness. So sue me! I did put up all those trees, didn't I. Anyway, from the first year we built onto the house, I have set trees on this ledge. They are always in sight as I putter around the kitchen during the holidays. Doug would tell you I don't putter enough in the kitchen and I probably don't but since we don't need the extra calories, I tend not to do as much cooking and baking as I used to when kids were home.
This is just about to wind down the tree list so,
Happy looking,
Vera
aka The Christmas Tree Lady

Trees 27 and 28...Take me out to the Ballgame

Doug is and has been a baseball fan for years. His top club is the Cubbies. Lovable losers. Oh, well, somebody has to root for them. Any way, I decided that this year his tree would be baseball. I told him I had a new theme for him, but wouldn't tell what it was for a long time. Every year we do some version of a handy man tree. All kinds of tools. Planes, levels, screwdrivers, etc. You get the idea.

This year, I scouted around to find some things to change the tree. It gets expensive to completely buy everything for a whole new big tree. As I dug around the house, I came up with some junk balls that we had from a trip to Iowa to the Optimist game. It was their give a way. I also decided to add all Doug's caps from the various teams. We have JHS, GCT, ASU, Redbirds, the Quad City Swing, the Quad City whatever,(they changed their mascot) St Louis, Cubs, and so on. I did buy a few teddy bears with baseballs and bats and a few glass ornaments that go with baseball. All in all it didn't turn out half bad. I was so proud that I had put his favorite Cub cap as the tree topper. But NO he isn't satisfied. He wants a World Series cap to go on top. We just haven't found any in Jonesboro yet. Still looking.

To go along with the big tree in the room, I added a mini to match. When I was looking for the glass ornaments to go on the big tree, I ran across some minis at a great deal. Decided to add a second baseball tree. I think this puts Doug is sports Christmas heaven cause that is his favorite sport.

Happy Looking,

Vera

aka The Christmas Tree Lady

25 and 26 Just mini trees

These two trees sit atop our bookshelves on either side of the fireplace. I think a fireplace makes Christmas. Since our gas log dies every time we get it fixed, I can put anything I want in front of it and don't have to worry about anything melting or getting hurt.
Since these trees are right next to our big tree, that has a Santa theme, I chose just plain ole red ornaments. ( The big tree is red) The only thing that really ties these trees to the big tree is the fact they have mini tree toppers that match the Santa tree topper. They are fairly simple, but, they go with the glow of the room when we turn out all the lights and just have the trees lit.
I love this time of year when we don't have to use harsh lights. I can walk through the house on any given time and there is a soft glow from every room. Just love it!
Happy looking,
Vera
aka The Christmas Tree Lady

Tree 24....Let it Snow!

Snow just seems to go with Christmas and snowmen are special, magical just like all things wonderful during the Christmas season. I love snow. I love snowmen. I love the sparkle and glistening of the beautiful sunlight twinkling off a fresh layer of snow.

There are snowmen, snowflakes and teddy bears holding snowflakes on this tree. Those big fat dimply snowmen and the wooden snowflakes are some of Doug's artwork. The snowman is one of my all time favorite ornament he has cut out.

Hope you enjoy the snow tree as much as I do. It isn't the biggest, but it is one of my favorites.

Happy Looking,

Vera

aka The Christmas Tree Lady

Tree 23...Angels

Angels. Such an important part of Christmas. The angels came to Mary. The angels came to Joseph. The angels were there to celebrate the birth. The angels watch over the Christ Child. The angels watch over you and me. Of course, they are such a vital part of Christmas.

Once again these are on a fiber optic tree.

"Hark the herald the angels sing"

Can't you just imagine the wonderful sounds those angels made when they sang of Christ birth.

Happy looking,

Vera

aka The Christmas Tree Lady

Tree 22...Healthy Apples

Ok, I showed the junk food stuff. How about something a little healthier. One of the greatest smells during the holiday time is hot mulled apple cider. Yum! That is almost as great an aroma as sugar cookies baking.

I have told you that I stripped all the trees this year. I have but some of the apples on this one are permanent. I took off all the other ornaments dusted and rearranged them and changed the topper. Not much change, but enough to say I did redo it.

Hope you enjoy the apples and think of apple cider on the stove or apple pies in the over.

Happy looking and smelling,

Vera

aka The Christmas Tree Lady