Christmas Tree Lights

Christmas Tree Lights

OK...we went to the tree farm last week and picked out a GREAT Christmas tree. It even fits in the living room this year, didn't have to trim it down when I got home.

Now the real fun begins. I go out to the storage shed to find the Christmas decorations. OH MY GOODNESS...can all of these boxes really contain Christmas decorations?

I end up lugging in a dozen boxes all marked Christmas. I find the box with the lights for the tree and discover that many of them do not work. That's funny, they worked last year just fine. Well, maybe I can just replace a bulb or two and they will be ok? Of course not, what a silly idea. There are six strands of lights and each strand has a different type or size bulb. They are not interchangable, that would be much too easy. Anyway, I can't figure out which light needs to be replaced because there are a bunch that are out. I would have to change every one until I found the one that controls the rest of them. Don't have time or patience for all of that. I will just run to the store and buy new lights!

The guy at the tree farm said that it would be better to run the lights from top to bottom instead of going around and around the tree like I have been doing for decades! He said it is better for the branches on this type of tree. OK, I'm willing to try something new. I try the new method of stringing the lights and finally get it just right.

Oh, oh...here comes my wife; now she has to get her two-cents in and starts to rearrange all of the lights! At last -- the lights are up and look GREAT. Now for the rest of the decorations. We go through the same thing every year; my wife asks me to help her decorate the tree, but it never fails that she ends up moving at least half of the decorations I place to a different spot! That's ok, the tree always ends up looking wonderful. I will take a picture after it is finished and post it here for all to see.

If anyone has a GREAT idea on how to pack the lights away for next year I am open for suggestions. I usually end up with a big tangled mess that I have to sort out, not an easy task. Best solution I have found so far is to wrap each strand individually with a rubber band to keep them seperated.

Please leave your comments and suggestions. MERRY CHRISTMAS.