Tuesday, November 28, 2017

THE TREES...










I showed this picture last week 
of our new faux tree.

 How many of you thought
 this was the actual tree set up? 

 Well,
 my daughter did,
 so I just wanted to 
set the record straight.

  This is not the real tree. 
 This is only a picture on the box
that the tree came in.
  
Just let me say right off 
that I am not 
being compensated 
for this post in any way. 

 I just wanted to tell you how
 special and remarkable 
this tree is. 

 It is not only 
big, and full and realistically pretty, 
it also does tricks
 and was priced
under $200.




 2013

We have not had
 a large faux tree
 for a few years.
  
We always had a large tree 
when the kids were growing up, 
and it was always a real one 
that we cut down ourselves,
 but the last few years
 we had a small faux one
 that sat
 on a table...



2014


...then we had a white one
 that also sat
 on a table...




2015


...the first year
we decided to have a real tree again
 and it was found 
on a lot...



2016


...we thought it turned out
 pretty well 
so we thought we would 
do it again...




...I think I mentioned
 that after that
 we decided 
it was an experience 
that we did not want
 to have 
again.





So,
 now back to the story of 
this amazing tree 
that does tricks.

 The tree comes in three sections 
that are easily marked. 
 They click together 
with no problem 
and if you are looking for a place
 to hook the lights together 
at each section 
(like the last one we had)
 there isn't any. 
 The wires are all concealed 
in the trunk of 
each section.





When the tree is put together
 you have to fluff the needles 
at the back of each branch. 
 They are made of 
something like paper and 
are easily moved
 to fill in blank spaces.
  The tips of the branches are 
hard and not easily moved and 
really look like
 real needles.




There is no getting down
 on your hands and knees to find
 the on and off switch.  
Just a tap of your toe
 gets that job done, 
and this is where the
 amazing tricks 
come into play.

  You can tap your toe 
nine times, 
and each time the lights change.

  It goes from
 white lights to colored,
 to white lights blinking,
 to colored lights blinking,
 to white and colored lights blinking, 
slow, fast or not at all.

 You get the picture.

  And,
 did I mention 
that you get all of the above
for under $200?





You will notice 
the paper lanterns that I put together 
and I'm still waiting for
 the larger lanterns to arrive
 which will fill in 
any blank spaces you might see.

 Now,
 after all the bragging I have done, 
there is only one thing 
that I don't like about this tree.

 I may be alone 
in my thinking 
and could, possibly,
 be putting my neck 
on the chopping block, if some
 die hard environmentalist
 heard me say this: 

I DON'T LOVE LED LIGHTS!

They are too bright and
 the white ones have a yellow cast...
I have seen white ones 
with a blue cast, 
and I don't love those either, 
and I find them all 
very hard 
to photograph.




 2017 to infinity






Neither
 the Captain or I 
like any of the flashing tricks. 

 I prefer the white lights
 and he likes the colored ones.
  
So we have compromised:

  We leave the white lights on 
during the day
 and tap it to the 
colored ones 
at night.





Even though 
I don't love the LED lights, 
I don't not love them 
enough 
to turn them off and...





...don't tell the Captain,
 but I am really enjoying them
 at night time
 too.


...Judy...





We bought the tree at
 Lowe's
 and it was on sale for
 under $200.













15 comments:

  1. It is beautiful and so interesting how the different colored lights can make it look like a completely different tree.

    I am thinking of buy a new tree this year if I can find a good deal after Christmas but alas it won't be a big one, I love them but they are too much for one person to handle. I would like one of the new frosted ones though.

    Happy decorating!

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  2. Wonderful trees,Judy!Christmas is a special and wonderful time!Have a lovely week!Hugs,Maristella.

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  3. That is a lovely 'trick' tree! LED lights are hard to photograph and they can be very bright too. But I've gotten used to them and enjoy having them on and the fact that they use a lot less electricity and don't get hot, is nice.

    Your tree really is lovely and I like it lit both ways. :-)

    Happy Christmas holidays ~ FlowerLady

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  4. Judy, Could I have that box to just stick up in the window?? LOL. You had me laughing about the trees and lights. I have a skinny real fake tree...I like it because I can decorate it by myself. Cause Ted never helps with any décor. I call our tree, "The Bob Evans " tree . That is a skinny one also. LOL. Yours looks so pretty with all the pretties on it. Blessings to you honey, xoxo, Susie

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  5. I don't know when can I put up tree? :(

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  6. Your tree is beautiful. I am so happy to hear there is another person in this world that does not like the LED lights. I hate them. I hate that blue look. I am scared that I will not get another season out of my old fashion white icicle lights outside and on the bushes and my tree lights on my tree will not make it past this year and I will be having to purchase LED's since they are not making the old fashion white lights anymore. With all this said I did find a place that had soft white LED lights that look like the old fashion ones but they were so expensive. $40 dollars for 300 lights. Yikes! I am hoping as time goes on the LED lights will look softer and more white. Just hoping my lights will make it through this season and maybe another. I am into the environment like everyone else but I really have to say LED lights are not my cup of tea either. Thanks for being brave and saying it out loud.
    Hugs,
    Kris

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  7. It is a very nice tree and you have it beautifully decorated. Not sure what LED looks like in person, but I always prefer the old fashioned large colored bulbs. I throw a few strands of white in there too. We had a faux skinny tree for years and years until half the lights went out. I tried to string new ones on but gave up quickly. We buy pre-cut fresh ones now. This years tree has been set up in the living room since Sunday while it's branches fall :-)

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  8. Love every one of your trees. You have such a talent for decorating. We've had faux trees for years and years - because the real ones make me sick. We haven't always lived where we could cut our own - so we had to buy them at tree lots - and they put fire retardant and insecticide spray on all the trees in the lots - and that stuff is deadly. I suffered from headaches and nausea for years during christmas until we figured it out.

    I haven't noticed the difference of the LED lights from the regulars - except for the decrease in our electric bill (we use a LOT of lights) but when we put the tree up I'll see of there is a difference. We still use the bubble lights and the snowball lights from years and years ago - so maybe it is harder to see the difference in the LEDs.

    We have all the decorations done - all the christmas dishes in the china cabinets - just have the tree to put up this weekend. Happy decorating my dear.

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  9. What a gorgeous tree. I bought a green one for the living room this year. I love the one you have so much, especially with the wires concealed in the trunk. I am NOT a fan of l.e.d. lights for the same reasons you posted. They actually bother my eyes especially when I first look at them. I am using the regular lights on mine. You have it beautifully decorated. I am decorating mine now. Yes, at 1:00 in the morning. I am having a hard time getting with it this year.
    betsy

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  10. I must say in response to my previous comment that all my trees are green. I just noticed what I wrote. Silly me.
    betsy

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  11. Oh Yes a gorgeous tree for sure, I love a big tree also and have gone faux, which my little grandkids whined about the first year

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  12. Your tree is beautiful! I keep meaning to purchase one of those foot switches. We also have a faux tree and love it. although some of my favorite memories are shopping for are Christmas tree with my daddy. I hope you are having a lovely start to December.

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  13. first I want to thank you for visiting me from Diana's blog post she did about me,, I came right back to follow you lol,, and my gosh, I thought that was a real tree, it is beautiful,, I've never seen one so realistic before and the lights are amazing as well.You have a beautiful tree,, happy holidays!!

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  14. I enjoyed your tree history Judy! It is hard to find the right balance sometimes! But it does seem like this very smart tree at least found a compromise with the white and colored lights! I don't care at all for LED lights either! The light is extremely hard to photograph and is just not ambient at all. But in the name of progress and science, I guess they are here to stay. Your tree is amazing, you have decorated it so prettily! It will bring such enjoyment to you in this holiday season :) Hugs to you today!

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  15. I'm late in responding! Your post went to my spam folder and was gone a few days, so just found it! Love your tree "history"!! I swore I'd always have a real tree, but a few years ago, decided I was VERY tired of putting the lights on it... such a hassle. I think 2012 and 2013 were the last years for going into the woods to cut our tree! Now we have a 4-1/2 foot faux tree that is very easy to put up (also comes in 3 pieces) and we set it on top of a low coffee table so is the perfect height. I LOVE that the lights are on it already! And..l I found it at our local thrift store for $20.00! I hope it lasts a few years and really is pretty, though not as real looking as yours.

    I too am not a fan of the LED lights but I don't mind the colored ones as much. Ours are colored.. no fancy foot button but I plug them into a wall outlet that is hooked to a wall switch, so I just flip the switch off and on! Super easy. I was not even (maybe) going to put our little tree up this year as our two 1 and 2 year old "kittens" like to climb up the middle trunk and think it's meant just for them! But... my sister and husband are coming so guess I'll bite the bullet and put it up and put a bottle of water spray by the tree so I can (if I have to) spritz them a little bit to keep them away.

    The way you've decorated your tree is just gorgeous.. love everything on it.. so festive and pretty.. reminds me of the ones my mom and dad used to put up when we were kids. They were very thick and full and absolutely loaded with ornaments and every sort of thing imaginable!

    Hope you've been enjoying the first days of December! Hugs.. Marilyn

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Your comments are so special to me...Judy