Well, it took me the better part of 12 hours, yes, 12 hours, but I finally got the Christmas tree put up today!

How in the world could it take me so long you ask? Well … let me tell you!

I got a new fake tree this year. A 7.5 Donner Fir. Not pre-lit. The fake tree I got rid of a couple of years ago was 2 pieces, plus the stand. All the branches were attached, they just folded up onto itself for storage. I assumed this was the same way. Imagine my surprise when I opened the box and found this:

Those branches are in piles by the way – by their color coded branches. You can’t tell from that picture – but there are 8 layers to this tree, not including the top – which is one piece. As I’m looking around I’m wondering what I’ve gotton myself into.

Well I start in … it’s not that hard really. It’s hard on my hands and arms – my forearms have a ton of tiny scratches on them right now. So, I finally get all the branches in, and shaped close to how I want them. So I start stringing the lights. Since this tree is HUGE (I clearly didn’t have a good understanding of how big 7.5 feet tall would be), I decided that I’m going to wrap the branches with the light strands so that there is good coverage. Well … I get the 6th strand put on, and go looking for another one. Yep, you got it … I have no more lights. I can’t believe it. I have a good 3.5 foot of tree left, and no more lights.

It’s about 4pm at this point (I started this little project at Noon). So I contemplate. The nearest store is 35 miles. I go. I can’t leave it, and I can’t decorate until the lights are all on (well, I probably could, but it’s just not right).

So, I finally get back, finishing stringing lights. Take a break, and then hang ornaments for awhile.

This is the final product. I’m pretty happy with it. There are 800 lights on it, and thankfully I didn’t miss a blinker lightbulb (I was pulling them out cause the blinking drives me CRAZY). It’s a little blurry, but it’s the best pic I could get of it. My camera really wants to focus on the lights and I don’t have the patience to figure out what setting I need to change it to tonight!