O Christmas Tree

Finally got around to getting our Christmas tree earlier this week. We went to a U-cut place, Janke Tree Farm in Allegan County, and cut down a 7' Canaan fir. I had lobbied hard for an eight-footer, but my husband said no, that height would mean a tree that scraped the ceiling of our family room. 

One of the employees at Janke said it had been a hard summer for the trees, it being dry and very hot. Nevertheless, we saw a sea of nice trees a short walk from the parking lot:

And here is the tree we selected, awaiting the saw:

Yes, it takes more time and effort to get a tree from a tree farm versus getting one from a Christmas tree lot in town, but I like the absolute freshness of a tree we cut ourselves, and I like the drive out in the country as well!

Above, our decorated tree. As you can see, we really did have room for an eight-footer!

Unfortunately for me, the size limitation we are faced with our current house means that I've run of room to hang ornaments! Quite a few had to stay in their storage boxes this year. But of course, when my friend Libby, who's an ultra-talented knitter, gifted me with a knitted star she'd made, I gladly placed it front and center:

To its immediate left is an angel (plaid fabric with lace trim) that I'd crafted last year out of fabric from my late mother's stash. Other ornaments visible include a vintage celluoid reindeer, an ornament depicting the Olde City section of Philadelphia, an ornament I'd made from a vintage kit, an ornament I'd made for our daughter (involved cotton yarn, glue, glitter and a blown-up balloon, a clam from a seafood restaurant in Seaside, OR (trimmed in glitter), a gift tag from my late sister's last Christmas gift to me, and more.

Now do you see why I ran out of room on our Christmas tree?

Simply didn't have enough room at the top of the tree for my glass ornaments - some of the ones visible are vintage, but the Cubs one isn't (don't worry - there's a Detroit Tigers ornament nearby too -it's two ornaments to the right of the Cubs one, but doesn't show up well in this photo). 

I'm glad we got a fresh-cut tree again; it doesn't seem like Christmas until we get it up!