Oh Christmas Tree

It's a bit of a retro Christmas around our new place.

Maybe not real retro, given the artificial tree and electric lights trimming it.

Just a little retro, I guess.  Like to the 60's, but with a non-aluminum fake tree.  A long, long time ago we had one, but it was before we knew how vintage it was.

The bulbs on the tree are part of a family tradition.

"Lighted Ice" lit our live family trees as far back as I can remember.  I think they were called ice because of the ice - like plastic cubes around the outside of the bulb and because while warm the bulbs were cool enough to touch even after burning for hours.  They don't look like ice, that's for sure.

These bulbs have made several moves since they last adorned one of our Christmas trees.  There are three strings and enough bulbs to complete two of them with a couple of spares.  Since the bulbs are out of production, Ebay and online auction sites are the best places (and maybe only) places to find replacements.

The small tree reminds me of the large pines we brought home from the fresh tree sale lots.  Most years, Mom and Dad took me to an A & W root beer stand closed for the season where a tree farmer set up shop.

After Dad strung the lights and helped Mom with the ornaments, she would carefully place strands of tinsel one strand at a time on each branch.  While each tree was different, the family touches made them ours.

One Christmas spent at my folk's place on Bootjack Mountain in Pennsylvania the family went out to cut our own.  My observation is living trees surrounded by snow are much larger than you think.

We selected and cut the tree, hauled it to the car and strapped it to the roof.

It fell off on the drive home.

When we got back to their place, the tree was too big to get through the door requiring extensive surgery to get inside.  Let's just say it was a good thing they had a cathedral ceiling.

Our little tree is more full than Charlie Brown's and it's green reminds us of the fresh promise we receive in the manger.  The lights remind us of the star which attracted wise men from the East to celebrate the babe born in Bethlehem.

It could be too big for the house or small enough to stand on a table - every tree delivers the big news of Christmas.