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Post by riverhorse on Dec 4, 2023 4:02:58 GMT -5
Well, yesterday was supposed to be the day I would put up all the Christmas decorations but yesterday I just couldn't be bothered climbing up into the attic and dragging down the huge box of STUFF, and am not really feeling very Christmassy at all a the moment, so I'll have to see if I might be more in the mood later on. Oh well...
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Post by Queen on Dec 4, 2023 4:28:11 GMT -5
Was in Bunnings yesterday and saw a potted pinus radiata for sale as a live christmas tree for nearly $45 which is utterly ridiculous when we live within 30 minutes' drive of some of the millions of hectares of commercial pine plantation which is, you guessed it, virtually all pinus radiata and there are wildling pine seedlings all over the place free to a good home if you could be bothered to just keep a spade in the boot of the car. Parentals used to live up near the forestry area in the North, one year mum and I set off with spades and sacks to retrieve a forestry seedling. Enroute we found a forestry stand selling unwanted trees that were 3 - 5 years old, so we spent $20 there instead. The forestry managers had "thinned" some of the planting and were selling them for charity. Win - win.
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Post by sprite on Dec 4, 2023 8:13:20 GMT -5
Well, yesterday was supposed to be the day I would put up all the Christmas decorations but yesterday I just couldn't be bothered climbing up into the attic and dragging down the huge box of STUFF, and am not really feeling very Christmassy at all a the moment, so I'll have to see if I might be more in the mood later on. Oh well... That was my plan too, but I've spent all weekend trying to wind a ball of yarn from two skeins (why???!?!), and completely forget to get partner to help me bring the stuff down. Had my tunes and a Christmas movie all ready to go!
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Post by riverhorse on Dec 4, 2023 9:04:13 GMT -5
Actually, when I called PG at the start of lunchtime today for our usual mid-day chat, he said he'd been up into the attic during the day and dragged the big box of decorations down for me. Considering he is quite the Christmas grinch, I really appreciated this! (He also needed to go up to find the thicker winter duvet he uses so it was entirely altruistic!) So I might get the decorations up tonight. I'll have to stop off to buy some Advent candles for our table decoration though.
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Post by Queen on Dec 4, 2023 11:12:47 GMT -5
Is there a rule about when the tree goes up?
As a kid it was always pretty close to Christmas day but I think that's because we had real trees and they tend to drop needles everywhere if left to their own devices.
I could put mine up any day... maybe I should plan to do it this weekend. It'll take about 10 minutes, don't know what I'm "planning".
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Post by riverhorse on Dec 4, 2023 11:23:36 GMT -5
The Chermans generally put their trees up much later, some not until Christmas Eve.
I generally put out my decorations on the first Sunday of Advent which also includes my microtree.
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Post by sprite on Dec 4, 2023 12:30:40 GMT -5
My partner likes to get the tree up the first weekend of December, while I'd probably wait longer. Which is wierd, because he's not really a Christmas person.
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Post by tucano on Dec 4, 2023 12:41:09 GMT -5
I'm sure we only used to get our real tree a week before Christmas when I was a kid, but I also think those trees dropped more needles, so they must have been a different species. Now we have a Nordmann Fir, which is more expensive but hardly drops any needles.
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Post by Liiisa on Dec 4, 2023 17:28:09 GMT -5
I remember one year pero set up a "tree" by taking our step stool and displaying tree field guides on it (between the two of us we have a LOT of tree field guides), and then I stuck a couple holiday ornaments on top.
That was very amusing; sadly we no longer have the holiday enthusiasm mojo even for that.
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Post by whothingie on Dec 11, 2023 1:54:37 GMT -5
Much to my astonishment the 28 year old, tattooed, matcho male technican stayed late at work and found in storage the old plastic tree then made a beautiful job of sorting out the office Christmas decorations..unasked. He's a keeper.
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Post by sprite on Dec 11, 2023 5:49:33 GMT -5
Maybe he's just good at hiding his inner 8 yr old.
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Post by Liiisa on Dec 11, 2023 6:17:39 GMT -5
Aww, that's lovely who.
I had a spasm of thinking about Christmas decor yesterday, and went downstairs to peer into the boxes and see if I got inspired. I didn't, but one thing I did find in there was the leg from my childhood Ken doll, which we used to hang on the Christmas tree when Spawn was little; he had a rather surrealist childhood. Later on he drew tattoos onto it with a Sharpie, and there it was with the other more conventional ornaments.
I'm going to put it in a box and wrap it up and send it to him.
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Post by romily on Dec 11, 2023 6:44:34 GMT -5
I am kind of hoping to get in a bit of a Christmassy mood when I am in Germany this weekend – if baking German Christmas cookies and going to a Christmas market won’t do it nothing will. Zero decoration yet – I pulled out the box yesterday as I needed a card for my sisters present and nearly cried, seeing that I now have proper decorations for a full tree, after my sister and I split Mum’s Christmas decorations – some of the stuff handmade by my granddad who I never met (died before I was born) during WW2. Handfolded Christmas stars, painted in gold, as that’s all they could afford… en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Froebel_starJust another reminder that Christmas is never going to be what it used to be. Smashed the box closed very quickly. Still hurts too much. If I get a tiny tree I can't put any decorations up, but getting a big tree makes zero sense for me on my own. I will probably just not bother. And just put some candles and decorations on the table on Christmas eve like the last 2 years.
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Post by Liiisa on Dec 11, 2023 7:02:51 GMT -5
Oh rom, those stars. Family Christmas ornaments hold so much emotion! I'm wondering if I'm going to make Spawn happy or sad with the Ken leg.
I enjoyed watching the video of how to make those stars. They start off like making baskets, which suddenly brought me back to summer camp where there was basket-making activity, and we had long thin wooden pieces that we soaked in water and then began with a weave like you would one of those stars, though of course then you made a basket out of them rather than stars.
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Post by romily on Dec 11, 2023 9:26:47 GMT -5
My sister made the stars with her kids, so that the tradition doesn't stop - I am rather clumsy, and even though I guess I could get them done, it would be a nightmare!
My Mum had a picture from herself as a baby, underneath the Christmas tree - must have been 1942 - and it was only a small tree, but covered in these handmade stars, they lived in the churchyard - had a flat there as my grandmother was teaching religion, so they lived close to he pastor - the rich family - who helped them out many times. And the gold paint these stars were painted it also came from the pastors family...My grandfather was severely handicapped and could not walk anymore at that point (some kind of degenerative disease) so money was always tight as only my grandmother earned any, plus was also caring her her husband and bringing up two kids...And from all I heard grandfather was a brutal tyrant and bully, but that was endured because it was "god's will" or some shit like that. Different times, but they in some way resonate all the way into the present.
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Post by scicaro on Dec 11, 2023 12:48:01 GMT -5
People make those stars here too. Most of the Danes seem to know how.
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Post by lillielangtry on Dec 11, 2023 13:30:41 GMT -5
I didn't know the word for those stars, thanks Romily. I can imagine they hold a lot of memories.
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Post by crazycat on Dec 11, 2023 16:08:55 GMT -5
I have quite a few tree decorations that were given to me by my best friend who passed away 4 years ago. It always makes me nostalgic for the times we shared together when I hang them on the tree.
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Post by tinaja on Dec 11, 2023 16:09:53 GMT -5
I am 2 weeks behind on anything Christmas. I have gifts stockpiled though. Out my back doors, I can see the neighbors' beautiful wonderland of white lights. I may decorate late and leave it up late. Or nothing.
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Post by Phar Lap on Dec 12, 2023 6:04:26 GMT -5
I bought a pre-lit Christmas tree four weeks ago, only five foot high but easier to manage than a six footer, it’s a narrow one as a unit is not a house. Still haven’t put it up yet, it’s not the same when you’re by yourself but I must cure myself of that way of thinking.
If I do actually get around and put it up, I shall take a photo and post it here.
Watch this space.
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Post by riverhorse on Dec 12, 2023 6:12:48 GMT -5
I'm busy crocheting snowflake stars to hang on a Christmas tree, as the gift for my work Secret Santa which is due on Friday! Have to get them finished and stiffened in time.
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Post by sprite on Dec 12, 2023 16:40:45 GMT -5
Every year, I say, I will make those snowflakes...
Oxfam sell little fish that are made like those stars. I think those stars would look nice in a window, or on a mirror? Somewhere little cat won't go.
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Post by ozziegiraffe on Dec 13, 2023 7:04:07 GMT -5
I think I will drag my tiny tree out this weekend, as best friend is coming Sunday or Monday for a few days, so she can attend a funeral on Tuesday.
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Post by romily on Dec 13, 2023 7:12:50 GMT -5
Somewhere little cat won't go.
You haven't met little cat, clearly! She's the one balancing on top of doors, to throw herself at light bulbs to catch tiny little flies off the ceiling...She an athletic panther.
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Post by tinaja on Dec 13, 2023 20:32:29 GMT -5
I found a string of white lights and strung them around my "nature" table of plants, driftwood, dried herbs etc. Solstice theme.
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Post by Liiisa on Dec 16, 2023 17:32:59 GMT -5
I did a holiday thing! pero bought a wreath and put it on the door, and I affixed the wooden Australian animal ornaments that Hal gave me for Secret Santa onto it with twist ties, and it looks excellent. Happy marsupial holidays
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Post by sophie on Dec 16, 2023 18:25:54 GMT -5
I cut a few small boughs of fir and cedar, got some juniper boughs from Ruth .. then used my flower frog and a crystal bowl, arranged, added a string of small lights and a few balls and pine cones… and that’s all for my decorations!
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Post by Queen on Dec 17, 2023 11:00:12 GMT -5
Tree is up.
Need new batteries for the lights though, they're rather gloomy.
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Post by romily on Dec 19, 2023 3:51:44 GMT -5
After being all Christmassy in Germany last weekend I am pretty demotivated to put any decorations up here. Don't think I'll bother with the mini tree.
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Post by ozziegiraffe on Dec 20, 2023 6:46:05 GMT -5
Mine didn’t go up, and friend is leaving in the morning. I did manage Christmas tea towel, a hand towel, and tablecloth.
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