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Our family Christmas tree has been artificial for a long time now. I can't remember exactly when we made the switch over from real to fake, but it definitely beats climbing out into the tree fields and hacking down a new tree every year.

The first tree we ever purchased was used, and lasted still for ten or so years, until it almost seemed to be withering down. The gaps in between branches was unappealing to our eyes, and the tinsel from so many Christmas celebrations before were twined and knotted around the entire tree.

We knew it was time to give up the old and bring in the new, and boy, was it worth it! As we waited at home for the new tree to arrive, we made plans to set up a theme. Blue lights, blue ornaments? No. White lights, golden tinsel? Nah. Green? That was last year's. Red? Ah, red would do and red was what we did! We set aside a day to buy all of our ornaments and our lights, but we decided not to have the tinsel with a new puppy in the house. That's just setting up for trouble!

About mid-December we finally set the tree up in our traditional kitchen spot. Our family worked together, setting down the stand, erecting the new tree and standing back to enjoy the fullness and the green. It felt real, without any of that sometimes too outdoorsy of a smell..

A few of us worked golden hooks through red ornaments. One set with rosy cheeked Santa's decorating their surfaces and another type of swirly stick like ornament, sprinkled with golden sparkles. My siblings strung the lights, running out nearly half way up the tree and having to start over once more. They measured this time, hooked the lights together, and plugged them in. They were gorgeous and already I could feel the Christmas mood rushing in!

We set to work with a new jump in our step, piling all of our ornaments onto the tree branches, rearranging them, and then starting on the other side. When all of this was done, we stood back and took in the Christmas excitement, which had finally arrived for all of us.

The effect of the theme of red was absolutely beautiful, and the decorating was a blast, and has always been for my family. However, there are alternatives to the decorating process, if you'd care to relieve some stress on yourself. For example, trees already strung with lights. No hassle, no untangling. Go for whatever makes you happiest in your Christmas season!

Learn more about this author, Donna Fallesen.
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