The holidays can be a very busy and stressful time of year, but with everyone pitching in around the house, the load is easier to bare. John Haywood said it best, "many hands make light work".
For many years, we would cut down a tree and spend an evening decorating it. The family would enjoy talking about memories concerning a special ornament(s) or food to come in the following days. It was a time filled with fun, laughter, and reminiscing...and still is!
Eventually we decided to purchase an artificial tree. The only things missing from our tradition was the mess that comes with a real tree, the fire hazard and the stress of taking it down before all the needles fell off! We weren't initially sure if this was the right decision, but what a treat it turned out to be! We continue to decorate the same tree with many different themes, colors and looks!
Our decorating has evolved over the years: from real trees to artificial, from picnic tables to platforms for miniature train displays, from one holiday to many, from store bought product to custom made!