Much to the chagrin of the three reading older boys, Mary and Gabe giggle nonstop, smearing chocolate on each other’s faces and swatting each other like puppies. By the time we spot the treeline, everyone is anxious to spill out of the car and begin our annual search for a tree.
I think, when I tell people we cut our own tree, they imagine a Christmas forest with one beautiful little pine after another vying for the crowning spot in our family room. Rather, it’s kind of bleak– miles of sagebrush, lots of aspens and here and there a few evergreens. Most of the trees are way too tall at 50 or 60 feet, others are tiny and many have branches only on one side. Our goal is never to find the perfect tree, just one that will work.
saw=power!!
scrambling over logs
resting
Hans to the rescue
Gabe carries the saw down the mountain.
Erik and Stefan lead with Hans and Xander in the back.
it gets a little wild when they race down the mountain– see poor Hansie in the back?
Once we reach the car, the real task begins– tying the massive tree to the roof.
it’s huge, HUGE
Upon seeing our tree, people ask two questions–“How did you get it home?” (answered above) and “H0w do you get the star on top?” We used to tip it sideways to decorate the top, but this year we came up with the brilliant idea of scooting it over to the balcony.
We use the same star my sister gave us twenty years ago– small, simple, beautiful.
Helping Mary find the perfect spot for pink dolly.
Hans risks his life to place Santa correctly.
Once the top is decorated, we move the tree to it’s proper spot (shedding needles and covering our hands and hair with sap).
Should I be nervous about my baby girl on that ladder? I’ll be honest, ladders make tree decorating twice as fun.
Kitty watches the fun from Grandma Zoe’s Christmas village.
We used to ration our ornaments- two per branch– but with the addition of Grandma Zoe’s boxes of beauty we hang with reckless abandon. Every limb is lush and heavy with sparkling glass.
I’ll be honest, photos simply can’t do it justice. You’ll need to stop by and see it in person.
Because somehow, the barely passable tree in the woods always becomes absolutely
perfect.
p.s. if you live in Utah and want to cut your own tree, you can buy a permit for $10 at the Heber Valley Ranger Station the Saturday after Halloween.
Mary Staples
It’s perfect. I particularly appreciate the amount of lights going on. A sparkly tree is essential.
Kerri
Oh, man. That IS just perfect. Lovely lovely lovely.
Kerri
(Hey, is that how we’ll look at our lives once we’re on the other side? Just passable while we’re here, but Just Perfect when it’s all said and done?)
Jessica
What an incredible Christmas tree! At the moment, I have an artificial 7 foot tree with one string of lights hung carelessly over it’s plastic branches, stretched to (almost) fit. I guess that’s normal for my very first Christmas living on my own- but I dream of having a tree like yours one day. Just, Wow!!
Judi
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Judi
lovely. can i come see it?
and you?
cristie
i’m clapping!
the splendid wonder and beauty of it all. xox
Selwyn
Gorgeous. Wish I could see it in person!
ellen
Wow! It’s beautiful!
Dovie
Beautiful. I was so in love with your last years tree photos, or maybe it was the year before, that I had to get the lens filter you mentioned in the post. I just love the sparkly lights. I might be a little jealous of the tall ceilings to accommodate such a tall tree, what fun. Whew! jealousy over now back to admiring the photos.
I loved the what you wrote about the passable tree becoming the perfect tree, I remember that same thing as a child. We always got ours from the tree lot and we could only afford the whatever the least expensive category, all the $15 trees would be in a corner, not even always displayed on stands we would contemplate long and hard and select the best one of the bunch and bring it home sometimes with a little embarrasment and disappointment as we left the lot passing all the glorious expensive trees. Once home and decorated with enthusiasm and love it became the perfect tree.
Denise Schild
Just beautiful!!! You have gotten me motivated to start decorating on mine. Just not as fun with out all the kids 🙁
Blue
The photos don’t really do it justice. Just as my high opinion of you doesn’t really do you justice. Both are magnificent. ♥
Tracy
Your tree always amazes me. Do you think you could keep it up until February for me?
Lisa
Oh lovely, lovely, lovely…the tree, the family, and the photos! This post was just oozing with Christmas goodness!
And why is it when I take photos of my family hanging ornaments they all pull faces or stick their tongues out? I obviously don’t have them trained right like you do!
Rachelle
That last photo of the whole lit up tree takes my breath away!
jenjamin
WOW ! That’s amazing. Such a beautiful tree
Jeanelle
Oh I ADORE your tree! And I want to come over for a hug, cocoa and a chat right now.