"Oh Bottle Brush, Oh Bottle Brush" (a corollary post to Kate's "Oh Christmas Tree")

I am an old fogey.... I must admit it. When it comes down to it, I am a veritable Scrooge about the thought of tramping about a tree lot and seeking the "perfect" tree. (Note to all you natural tree lovers out there... the perfect tree does NOT exist! We cut it down back in 1983 and there's never been one since!)

Tree shot with flash... yes, it really TOUCHES the ceiling!

Tree shot with ambient light... pretty, huh?

This year, we've sunk to new levels of "fogey-ness" - we purchased a 9 ft. PRE-LIGHTED tree! Yup! Eddie no longer has to play round and round the May-pole, tediously untangling strands of half-lit holiday bulbs! Our tree goes up in 3 sections, and down in the same; two plugs connect and voila, we have a tree! Considering that, after that point, it generally takes us three nights to get all the ornaments onto it, I'd say it's an excellent choice for us! No mess, no fuss, and with the right potpourri even the smell can be simulated!

Years ago, my father mockingly called these "bottle brushes" - but even he, in his later years, succumbed to the allure of "easy trees". Even the hardened naturalists among us will admit the look of these babies has changed substantially since the 1980's. So look at the cutting fun my kids in Michigan had last weekend and then picture me, cocoa in hand, sitting cozily by the fire with a little Bing playing softly on the stereo...

Merry Christmas to all,
bottle brushes or real,
It's not in the tree,
'Tis how it makes you feel!

Part of the Snowman collection!

All of the snowmen, having a committee meeting to discuss
the new tree. Even theirs is artificial!

We have tree! Huzzah! Ed goes happily back to reading in
his cozy chair!