Putting Up The Christmas Tree

[StrawberryFields]

I have had one tree up since the day after Halloween.

I now have two more to put up. Our trees are pre-lit and we have one that is only 3 years old and having problems with a few sections of lights not working. Maybe someone here has some fail proof way of assembling the tree. Do you plug it in as you go, or get it all together and them plug it in? I have read about miniature light testers to see if there is a bad connection somewhere but have never tried that. We have checked the fuses and wiggled the branches, so now I am not sure what to do other then buying some replacement lights.

The tree that is having a problem is my Angel Tree. I have yet to try my colored light tree which holds my bubble lights and stuffed snowman.

Anyone like to give advice on tree lights or tell about their Christmas Trees?

[Maureen]

Anyone like to give advice on tree lights or tell about their Christmas Trees?

LOL!!! Christmas Trees, I like that, plural. Not in my house, although one year when my SIL stayed with us during Christmas I had a tree upstairs and one downstairs, so when she opened her bedroom door she could see a tree. My reusable, but beautiful Christmas tree needs lights put on it each year and I always find the lights the biggest job; that's why you can never have too many lights.

I have no advice about lighted trees but I admire your ambition SF. We'll have one tree and it will probably get put up anywhere from mid-December to Christmas Eve.

Good luck!

M.

[miztrniceguy]

i am undecided....i am vehemently against fake trees, nothing like the smell of a real one.

however, 2 small children make a real tree dificult. my daughter is 3 1/2, and my son will be 1 on dec 14th...which is its own dilemma...

my wife and i had talked about not decorating or anything until the 15th, to keep the build--up to his birthday seperate and of its own importance.

i am a christmastime baby, with my birthday just 10 days after, and i always hated "combined present"...dreaded words for an 8 yr old.."here, this is for christmas AND your birthday"

now my wife is itching to start decorating

[Ray]

I've had both "fake" and "real" trees for Christmas trees before but now we try to only use "real" ones. (I can't call them "living" because they're not actually living after they are cut down for our use).

The main reason I like "real" ones is for the symbolism, but I like the way they feel and smell too.

And in case you've never thought about it... I haven't always thought about this... I'll tell you what the Christmas tree means to me:

The tree was alive before "we" killed it... or it was killed... so it's a symbol of the (mortal) life of our Savior.

The angel on top... or sometimes we use a star... represents the heavenly beings (or bodies) who announced His birth. We use a "female" angel because we think she looks pretty... and there were probably some in the choir.

The gifts under the tree are the gifts we give each other. That's pretty much a no brainer, I think.

The ornaments on the tree represent the gifts we give to Him... which He also gave to us for our benefit. And they also represent the best gifts we have to give, to Him or anyone. Each type has their own benefit and meaning.

The lights on the tree represent the true gospel message... which we use to light the room and those around us.

The angels on the tree represent those who are sharing the gospel message... an angel is a messenger, so that's us too.

The candy canes on the tree represent the staffs of God's prophets. There's a lot of symbology there too, I think.

The tinsel on the tree represents specific gospel messages... they reflect some (sometimes a lot) of the light from the lights (which represent the full gospel message from our Savior)

The bulbs on the tree (in many colors and shapes and sizes) represent the people we help to teach the gospel to... all other people. They also reflect some of the light we shared with each of them, personally, as we tried to help to bring them to the true Light.

We also use a dove, or a symbol of one, and a few strings of pearls. I think you know what those mean.

And there's probably a few more things I'm not mentioning right now, but I think this helps you to know what I am thinking.

It just wouldn't be the same if we used a "fake" tree, and of course we have to use lots of lights. :)

And we use "white" lights to represent purity and cleanliness. I guess we could use colored lights too, but that'd be different.

Oh, and we keep our lights stored all wound up on some sticks. That helps to make them easier to find and un-scroll. And they represent the scriptures... which are words God has revealed to all of us through all His prophets... or at least those we know of and have words from.

And we search all of them to make sure they're all working. We have the kind that still light up when some aren't working. But it's easy to see which lights are working, and which ones aren't. Some have light, and some don't. We can tell by the light.

[shanstress70]

We always get a real tree... have to since I grew up in the area Christmas tree capital of the US! I wanted to get it today, but got too busy decorating outside and then it was too late after cooking dinner and all. I have to say that outside looks awesome though. I kind of went a little crazy! I don't have anything outside other than lights though (and a wreath).

SF, I don't have any words of wisdom about the lights. Each time I needed a new strand I would plug them in to check them, then unplug them and put them where I wanted them. Five times, AT LEAST, I had to take them down and start over because once I plugged them in again after wrapping the porch rail, the didn't work! Thankfully I bought a lot for $1 a box after Christmas last year.

Tomorrow we will get our tree. AND tomorrow we will have another Thanksgiving dinner with my mother... we didn't get to see her yesterday.

I appreciated all your symbolism, Ray. What an awesome time of year!

[sgallan]

No fake trees in this house. This because it is 70-80 out everyday, and it's very dry this time of the year (it is the desert). I don't get the actual tree until a week before Christmas. I do all the correct things to prepare it, and make darn sure the tree is still green and moist before I buy, and water regularly. The stuff that goes on the tree is eclectic stuff accumulated over the years, with some lights added on. And it has a train that goes around it. We do have the stockings up and many of the other nicknacks around as well. Usually I do a lot of lights on the house, but the house will be for sale so I am skipping that this year.

FWIW, as a godless heathen I didn't really do Christmas - save the parties and gifts - until I had a child. But even though Christmas is secular in this house, it is has become a special and magical time for the kid.... as it was for me.

[Dr T]

This is the first time I have ever had two trees. One upstairs and one down this year.

[Guest MrsS]

Every year by the last week of December I would break down and put up all of my Christmas decorations. I worked in a True Value Hardware store for 8 1/2 years. The demands of the customers were so intense and most of them were so rude that it made the Christmas Holiday a real downer for me. Each year I dreaded the season - it is so commercialized - people are so greedy, rude and obnoxious. I actually got sick the closer to Christmas it got.

My sisters in Washington State would send me a Holiday Care Package: packets of Hot Cocoa, a cute Christmas mug, Christmas candy, audio tapes of my favorite Christmas Carols and songs, a new tape of Stan Borenson's Cut Up Christmas (that is a Pacific NW artist and listening to him brings on the wonderful childhood memories I have), Christmas mittens (the fingers on gloves are alwayse too long), Christmas socks- the ones with the individual toes! a new tree topper. This I received the monday after Thanksgiving. It would take nearly all of December before it worked its magic.

By then I would be outside, looking for a small tree to hack down to decorate. I had never bought a tree until I left my ex. Then the tree I bought was a 2ft artifical tree. That is all that would fit in my tiny little rented mobile home. But man oh man did I have fun "trimming" it. I really had to hunt around to find tiny ornaments. Now they are easier to find - but back in 1999 they weren't so popular.

I still have that tree. I have lost a lot of the ornaments, what with Missy the cat knocking off her favorites to play with, and the two cats I have now who love the little ornaments too. Last year I saw some miniture glass bird ornaments. I was so tempted to buy the hummingbirds and then to get the lavender bows to go with them and redo the little tree. I didn't - mainly because I couldn't get to the tub that has the christmas decorations in it.

This year I would like to get a 4' artificial tree. I live in Arizona too - and the Oregon trees that they so proudly sell here were all cut shortly after Halloween! There is no way I would pay for a dead and dry tree. I was looking for a Christmas Cacti to decorate - but none of them looked good enough.

The last home I lived in there in Oregon- had lots and lots of windows. I would do the glass wax and the poster paint w/liquid soap and paint my windows. I live in an old adobe house here - don't have the windows to paint and decorate. I refuse to put up outside lights, that is an expense I can not justify. Now that I have reclaimed my living room and gotten rid of the space eating ugly, uncomfortable sectional, I should have room to put out my meager decorations.

I need to buy a small string of christmasy lights to string around my desk at work. I had a pumpkin light string for Halloween, and then I found a string of autumn leaves (not lights) for Thanksgiving. Time to get into the Holiday Spirit

[shanstress70]

I refuse to put up outside lights, that is an expense I can not justify.

Gosh, I was just thinking how little it cost me to put up all my outdoor lights. They are everywhere in my yard and look really good, I have to say! Last year after Christmas I bought about 12 boxes at $1.00 each (maybe they were even $.50). Those little white lights are cheap.

[Latter Days Guy]

Do none of you stick with the 12 day rule for Christmas Tree erection?

[Ray]

I've never even heard of that "rule".

What is the rule and what do you think it means?

Does it have any significance at your house?

[StrawberryFields]

Do none of you stick with the 12 day rule for Christmas Tree erection?

Ummm, I don't think so.

[Latter Days Guy]

I've never even heard of that "rule".

What is the rule and what do you think it means?

Does it have any significance at your house?

The one about not putting up your Christmas tree until 12 days before Christmas? Maybe it's a UK thing

[Ray]

Oh, okay.

I didn't know and was thinking it might have been related to that song (lyrics here) about there being 12 days of Christmas and that maybe you're supposed to gradually add to the Christmas tree during the 12 days until the whole thing is put up, or something.

I wonder where that idea came from?

... that there 12 days of Christmas, I mean.

[shanstress70]

This info was on the page you linked to, Ray. Never knew all this:

Religious symbolism of The Twelve Days of Christmas (The 12 Days of Christmas)

1 True Love refers to God

2 Turtle Doves refers to the Old and New Testaments

3 French Hens refers to Faith, Hope and Charity, the Theological Virtues

4 Calling Birds refers to the Four Gospels and/or the Four Evangelists

5 Golden Rings refers to the first Five Books of the Old Testament, the "Pentateuch", which gives the history of man's fall from grace.

6 Geese A-laying refers to the six days of creation

7 Swans A-swimming refers to the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, the seven sacraments

8 Maids A-milking refers to the eight beatitudes

9 Ladies Dancing refers to the nine Fruits of the Holy Spirit

10 Lords A-leaping refers to the ten commandments

11 Pipers Piping refers to the eleven faithful apostles

12 Drummers Drumming refers to the twelve points of doctrine in the Apostle's Creed

The Twelve Days of Christmas (The 12 Days of Christmas) start with Christmas Day and finish with the eve of Epiphany on 5th January. The Twelve Days of Christmas dates back to English origins in the sixteenth century although the music is reputed to be French.

The first publication date for The Twelve Days of Christmas (The 12 Days of Christmas) was 1780. Each of the The Twelve Days of Christmas has a religious significance and are symbolised following the lyrics of The Twelve Days of Christmas.

[Ray]

This info was on the page you linked to, Ray. Never knew all this:

Well. What do you know (now)?

:)

[Maureen]

When my daughter was little, her one day-home provider had a 20 foot Christmas tree. It was put together with 3 normal size artifical trees. Her husband would adjust the length of some of the branches to keep the shape proportionate. Their house was a bi-level and the bottom level had no ceiling at the front of the room, so they would put their very tall tree there. She had an enormous amount of decorations to cover it. It was one of a kind and very pretty.

M.

[Ray]

We planted some trees on our land we plan to decorate as they keep growing taller and taller.

And we have some other trees that are pretty tall already. Some are 30... 40... 50... feet tall.

And I noticed that at Costco they're selling large ornaments that would be appropriate for taller trees.

I just need to run the power and get some more decorations to have lots and lots and lots of Christmas trees.

:)

And btw, something else I like about having outdoor Christmas trees is the SNOW... when it falls on them.

We just got our first snow the other day, and it's snowing more today. We have 5-6" already. :)