Our first tree

I'm embarrassed to admit that this year was the first time in many, many years that I have a Christmas tree. When I moved to Atlanta in 1996, my roommate and I bought a tree at Home Depot, and I think that was the last time I had a tree. Fast forward to last year, and Hadley and I were newlyweds and living in our condo. Our tree was a piece of plywood, painted green, with lights strung across it. Definitely nothing to brag about...

Given the fact that we bought our first house this year, I guess it makes sense that we'd finally get a real Christmas tree. And that's what we did:



There's nothing like the smell of a REAL Christmas tree. For those of you out there that get the fake ones, it's time to step up and get with the program. Now I'm regretting all those years of apparently being a Scrooge!

I must say, however, that finally getting a tree opened my eyes to something--you don't always agree (with your significant other) about how to decorate that damn conifer. Growing up, my family always used the bigger, multicolor FLASHING bulbs. And we obviously hung our own ornaments. This year it wasn't like that. First of all, my ornaments are still used by my parents on THEIR tree. Second of all, the PRINCESS (Hadley) doesn't like BIG bulbs, nor does she like FLASHING bulbs. At least I got one out of three and got to use multicolored ones. And lastly, we always went out and cut our own tree. This was always a family event, and all of us would pile into the truck, trespass onto someone's property, cut down a tree, and get the hell out of dodge before we were caught. Could I convince Hadley...whoops...I mean the Princess, to do that this year? Of course not....we got to go down to Big John's and buy one for $120 like idiots. The funny part is that we were actually on our way to Home Depot to buy one, when we passed by Big John's and assumed the ones there were the same price at Home Depot....and we were wrong. Apparently several of our friends went to Depot and got trees for under $50. Shame on us!

Anyway, at least we have a tree this year. I can't complain. No matter what kind of day I've had, the minute I get home and see and smell that tree, I'm ecstatic. But that happens to me anyway when I get home and see the Princess...right?!