The Smith family Christmas tree tradition is to drive to Midway the weekend after Thanksgiving and cut down our Christmas tree. We've done this as long as I remember living in Coastal Georgia--which would be 1992--and I don't remember ever missing a year!
Last year was mine and Roberts first time getting a Christmas tree together as he was already in the house we would be living in when we got married right before Christmas. Of course it was obvious (at least to me) we needed to have a tree in the home for when we returned home from our honeymoon in Italy on the 23rd...so off we went with my parents to cut down a tree and start the McLendon Family Christmas Tree cutting down tradition!
Here we are one year later--having moved to a big city--and there was never a thought in my mind that we wouldn't actually cut down our Christmas tree. I just somehow can't imagine buying it off a Christmas tree lot--I know this is the simpler thing to do--but something in me just can't do it--not yet....The original thought was to go get the Christmas tree in Midway with my parents over Thanksgiving--but it rained all weekend, so it was too wet. Plus Christmas came early (pictures coming soon!) with my parents, so I'm not quite sure where we would have put the tree in the truck if we did get one!
So off we went back to Atlanta with no tree...Now I realize we moved to a big city--I did not realize we would have to drive to Egypt to get a tree. No matter where we looked online everything was about an hour and a half away. With my pitiful puppy eye look--my precious husband--started driving north. I fell asleep as it took even longer than the hour and a half online told us it would.
When we finally got to where we were going--it only took us oh about 10 minutes to pick out a tree. From past experiences with my family--which could take hours--this was great--but when you drive that long, you somehow hope that it would take a little longer! We did take them up on the offer of free apple cider and a free tractor ride to haul our tree (yes it would have taken us about 3 minutes to walk up the hill with our tree--instead it took about 20 with the tractor), so it made it a little better.
I can't say we will do this again next year. Actually I'm pretty sure I remember my hubby saying we will not be doing this again next year....but at least this year there are pictures for you to enjoy! :)
The actual cutting down:
Abigail hiding when the tree came in:
My incredible hubby:
Gifts from my mom that were labeled "open when you put up your tree"...what a great mommy!
Abigail deciding she no longer needed to hide--she wanted to help:
The bows from our reception made another appearance thanks to my great amazing uncle that turned all our wedding decorations into Christmas decorations!!!! Now, if I could have just had him come decorate my house like he did last year for us!! :)
I'm minus a fireplace this year--so the stockings had to be hung on the windowsill :(
The finished tree:
Thanks for enjoying our tree with us! I'll have to take pics of the rest of the house and the decorations, but this is enough for now! :) How has your tree experience been this year? What are your traditions? Would love to hear them!
Abigail hiding when the tree came in:
My incredible hubby:
Gifts from my mom that were labeled "open when you put up your tree"...what a great mommy!
Abigail deciding she no longer needed to hide--she wanted to help:
The bows from our reception made another appearance thanks to my great amazing uncle that turned all our wedding decorations into Christmas decorations!!!! Now, if I could have just had him come decorate my house like he did last year for us!! :)
I'm minus a fireplace this year--so the stockings had to be hung on the windowsill :(
The finished tree:
Thanks for enjoying our tree with us! I'll have to take pics of the rest of the house and the decorations, but this is enough for now! :) How has your tree experience been this year? What are your traditions? Would love to hear them!