O tannenbaum-bastic

I always think of the Van Halen song, Panama, when someone mentions O Tannenbaum. I think somone should rework the old standard to that tune; talk about rockin' round the Christmas tree.

With only one tiny paycheck coming in, there will not be many gifts under the tree (Lisa and I are foregoing gifts); but I will not skimp on the decorations. I have lights and a tree on the front deck and a tree in the living room with lights running around the the ceiling of the living room and hallway. It's Christmas!!!







Taking my cue from Tony, I am offering pics of the tree. My wife will tell you that I am utterly anal regarding how the tree looks and spend the entire holiday moving ornaments and adjusting garland and lights; I can't help it. My only annoyance with the tree this year is that the white lights I bought have white strings instead of green (so as to blend into the tree); I have reassured my anal-self that the strings look like snow on the tree too keep him/me semi-satisfied with the finished product.

Yes, it is an artificial tree. We have had it since before only child was born and it still thrives. Every year I say that I will get a suitable replacement at one of the after-Christmas melees but fail to rouse myself from the post-christmas stupor to accomplish the task. I would go for a traditional live tree, but the artificial one stands up to the weight of the multitude of ornaments that I insist on burdening the poor thing with.

I usually go with red and green lights on the tree but decided on blue and white this year (since several hundred of my red and green lights were burnt out). As for ornaments, they are mainly Disney, Hallmark and Opus with some other pop culture baubles thrown in. I put a few standard ornaments on to round it all out.

There you have it! My tree lit and unlit.