Wednesday, December 16, 2009

O Christmas Tree

We got our tree 5 years ago……it was a whim purchase after my Mom passed away. It looked really beautiful on my computer screen. A prelit tree that would be delivered right to my door.....be still my beating heart. Prelit….I wouldn’t have to string lights any more....woohoo! I like lots and lots of lights and here my tree would be prelit with eleven hundred lights. Yes, that’s right, in my beautiful tree were 1100 of the most blindingly, clearest and brightest of lights you could ever want. A tree so bright and blinding that you didn’t want to leave it on unless you were wearing sunglasses.
The last few years have found excuses to leave the tree in storage. A little Charlie Brown tree was purchased for a fraction of what that big bright tree under the stairs cost. And there it sat.
I decided this year it was time to bring out the big beautiful prelit tree. I really do love the tree….it looks very real. But, I do NOT love the 1100 very bright clear lights. No problem I thought, I will change them out…..how bad can it be? I took strings of lights and removed all those tiny colored lights bulbs. And then I began to pull the clear bulbs from the tree. Swapping out a bright clear light for a red or green one. I had blue, yellow and purple ones too. Oh boy, I’m on my way now…..a tree with colored light……1100 of them! Seemed like a really good idea when I began. Halfway through it didn’t seem like such a great idea anymore but I had gone too far to stop…..way past the point of no return. Maybe a few band-aids will help. Yes, that’s much better….I’m on a roll once more. The top section is done, a few branches on the bottom and most of the middle section is transformed. I’m down to the last couple hundred that need to be swapped…..I’m fading fast, my fingers are throbbing. Thankfully Josh asked if I needed any help and he swapped out the last of them. And now…..I have prelit tree with 1100 beautiful colored lights. It was worth every little cut, blister and sore finger(s). I'm enjoying the tree so much I may have to leave it up for awhile.........
Have a wonderful day and I hope your tree makes you happy. Thanks for stopping by.....your visits hightlight my day!

10 comments:

Erin said...

Just Beautiful Yvonne Merry Christmas to you and the family!

Libby said...

Beautiful! Worth every one of those color-filled bulbs *s*

Deborah Levy said...

Beautiful Yvonne! How long will it be before Frankie climbs in it???LOL!

Darlene said...

It's beautiful.

Vicki W said...

That sounds like something I would have done - instead of just buying a new tree!

Kim said...

Wonderful! And yes, I agree--Christmas is here and over again, much too soon! I wish we could just enjoy our decorations. This year, we're having our family get together on Saturday and after that, not too much pressure, so I'm looking forward to sitting back and enjoying the season then.

Red Geranium Cottage said...

Your tree is beautiful Yvonne. I love it but man do you ever have more patience that I. lol
Merry Christmas

MARCIE said...

Oh Yvonne you are so funny! I hope you enjoyed your pretty tree over Christmas! Have a wonderful New Year!

Unknown said...

I feel your pain! We have a beautiful tree whose lights started to go out...we started replacing bulbs and they still didn't work. So, we decided to take the lights off the tree! My husband and I clipped all the lights off! It took two days and really sore fingers. Now we have to string the lights every year but I love that tree. Too bad we'll be finding those clippings for years to come as they were flying every which way,

Mary said...

my husband and I spent over 2 hours with pliers "delighting" a 4 foot prelit tree. Never again. I can't imagine how sore you would have been. My fingers throbbed and I felt muscles in my arms and shoulders the next day. And I don't even like the tree. IT is an ugly one mom gave us.