Guilty as Charged

As if Thanksgiving hasn't snuck up on us quickly enough, I'm already reminded of Christmas by the buzzing of helicopters overhead the last few days.  It's Christmas tree harvesting time on Pete's Mountain.  I hear they lay big tarps on the ground, the tree cutters load them with trees, then the helicopters pick up a whole tarp and place it directly onto a truck.  Being in California for so long, I'd forgotten how all those thousands of trees show up in lots right after Thanksgiving.

One of my trees, quickly set up and taken down--without ornaments--for my 2021 holiday card.

The last couple years I've decorated moderately for Christmas.  I got rid of a lot of excessive decorations because I wanted a cleaner look--with just the things I truly love.  But so far in this house, I haven't put up my trees.  It's just seemed like so much additional effort.  I have one to three (depending on my energy) pre-lit artificial trees and loads of ornaments.  I love each of them.  However, anticipating the tiresome task of decorating them--then un-decorating them--is something I've been avoiding. 

But I've come up with a plan.  I got rid of my tallest tree and kept my 7.5' trees (perhaps a bit small for this house-?).  They're on wheels connected to canvas bags they store in (a great investment).  My plan is to set aside the bags and keep the trees on wheels.  Then if I--even more tediously--wire each ornament very securely to the trees, maybe I can avoid the take-down and storage each year!  After the holidays, I plan to firmly wrap each tree in plastic stretch wrap (used for furniture), carefully wheel them through my double doors (hence 7.5' trees) to store them in the garage for easy future decorating.  This will definitely be a two person project.  But if my plan works, each year I'll just have to fluff the trees a bit and maybe rewire a few ornaments.  I'll thoroughly enjoy decorating for Christmas if my plan is successful.  But there's this first year--which will take even longer than normal--and I have to face it.  

Here's where the guilt comes in.  Starting after Thanksgiving wouldn't allow enough time to get my trees done and my other decorating completed by the first week of December.  So I started early.  If I can get the trees done before I leave for Thanksgiving, then I can do my other decorating the week after I return--and enjoy the month of December fully decorated.  So, since early November, I've been deep in the chaos of Christmas tree decorating.  I'm usually very opposed to this.  I haven't wanted anyone to come over to witness how I've jumped the gun on the holidays.  But it's only this year--I promise not to start before Thanksgiving in the future!  

P.S.  Stay tuned to see how my tree-wrapping idea works out!