Advent, Day 15

[wiseheart]

First things first: Yesterday's cookies



In other news: Mum and I finally gave in to life's sad necessities and purchased an artificial Christmas tree. It isn't exactly bad looking (although dragging it home was a bit of a strain for my back), but it is, well... artificial. When I passed by the pine tree vendors afterwards, my heart was bleeding, but the sad truth is that it is too much of a bother to take a real tree down when Christmas is over. My hands always look as if they'd been served as pine cushions for days, and we're still picking the needles out of the wall-to-wall carpet around Easter.

I might buy a couple of small pine branches and put them into a vase yet, if only for the scent... and the illusion. *sigh*

I was out of the house all morning, hauling stuff around - it's Tuesday, after all, which means shopping day, and of course you never get all the stuff you need in the same shop. Needless to day that I was pretty much useless for the rest of the day. Old age is not for the week of heart.

My Good Things of the day:
- having managed to put the dratted artificial tree together in a more or less aesthetic manner;
- having received a lovely Christmas card from aeris444. Thank you, my dear, and I hope mine will arrive at you, soon.

Comments

[meathiel]

We bought an artificial tree two years ago ... it's just less bother.
And less stress in the family as I always complained about the ugly tree my dad chose! ;-)

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

Well, in our house I've been the one to choose the tree for a decade or so, and Mum was always pleased with the results. I'm still decidedly unhappy about the artificial tree, but you are right: it's too much bother when you have to take down a real one. *sigh*

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

Those cookies look lovely.

We have had an artificial tree for a long time. Some years I think a real one would be lovely - then I think of dropping needles,a nd having to get it recycled, and get the artificial one out again :(

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I was motivated by the same reasoning. It still makes me a bit sad, though. :(

BTW, your lovely card has arrived, thank you so much!

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

Oh it was my pleasure to send it - I'm glad it arrived safely.

[adafrog.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that's my problem with real trees, as well. Also, they're very expensive here.

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

They are very expensive here, too - but again, what isn't? Except for human life, apparently. That is cheap.

[adafrog.livejournal.com]

Yeah.

[mirasaui.livejournal.com]

Your card arrived today, it is a lovely card, hard to believe that you made it yourself! Thank you very much and Merry Christmas. I feel for you on your Christmas tree. We bought an artificial tree when my son was born, 28 years ago. I am not putting it up this year, or so I say now. This is the first year where I just feel, too tired. I may change my mind and do it at the last minute as it is not really Christmas without a tree, but then again, I am really tired. It is a nice tree, 7 1/2 feet tall, a nice shape, but a real pain to put together and fluff all the branches. The branches stick just like a real tree, so I have to wear gloves to put it together and shape it. Putting on lights and ornaments are just as involved as with a real tree. AND, these last 5 or 6 years, it sheds needles everywhere, just like a real tree, maybe even worse. Taking it down and packing it up is also a pain. In fact, the only advantage it has over a real tree is that it is fireproof, and I don't have to purchase it each year. Cons are it is fake, has no scent, and ...sigh, it is fake. I think maybe one of the reasons I don't want to put it up this year is that for the last few years I've had to do it all myself. Sort of sad, as it used to be a family event. Anyway, enough of that. Thanks again for the card and the nice note inside. Glad we have kept up our friendship all these years.

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

So am I. Actually, you are the only one from the Tolkien fandom I still have contact with. Well, there's the_wild_iris, of course, who is a doll and never forgets Christmas or my birthday, but that's basically it. She practically left LJ and we never exchange any e-mails, so it's twice a year that we hear of each other. :(

I decided to do the decorating in small steps. On each morning, I put on a few decorations; just a few. That way, I don't have to do much at once, and the thing gets decorated by Christmas Eve. I'm also thinking of buying a few small pine branches and put them into a vase for the scent. Fortunately, our fake tree doesn't stick, at the very least, for which my fingers are really grateful. At least they have something out of this business. My heart... not so much.

[mirasaui.livejournal.com]

P.S. Love the cookies!!!