Once again we have a lovely real Christmas tree from Pines and Needles. Traditionally I love to decorate our tree after the town Lantern Parade, this year that fell on 1st December which felt like the perfect time to put up our tree and decorations. Pines and Needles picked the perfect tree for us as always and we had fun decorating it.
Our Christmas tree decorations box contains a base of purple and silver baubles and decorations as that was the colour theme I decided on many years ago when Danny was still a baby! Once we’ve wound the white lights around the tree (it’s always a relief when they work each year!) and added these base baubles, then I give the kids their box of sentimental and handmade decorations to add to the tree. There is no colour scheme rule for these beauties!
Each year I buy the kids a new special decoration. This year, I went to Festive in Cwmbran to choose our new baubles. I chose this woodland animals one for Caitlyn.
I love Russian Dolls so chose this one for myself.
I had bought a gorgeous teal fawn ornament for Isabelle but sadly this broke during the journey home so I gave this star angel instead as she is my little star.
I bought the heart angel to represent love in our family this Christmastime. I also buy lots of heart angels as (rather superstitiously really) I feel like they look over our heart child, Danny.
I love our Paddington Bear Christmas decoration from last year.
The kids each have a glass angel to hang onto the tree. These have needed replacing over the years! I love going to St David’s Cathedral Shop to buy these.
I bought Danny this North Pole decoration from festive. I love the shape and colours. Jo bought one for Cerys too and it’s nice to think we have matching ones on our trees.
This lovely ballerina is one of our original decorations from sixteen years ago.
Rebecca loves beautiful dresses (one of her favourite local shops is the bridal shop!) so I chose this as her special decoration. I bought Dave a lovely Christmas phone box as it reminded me of the TARDIS!
The tree looks so pretty and smells lovely. We check the water each night and top up if needed. Pines and Needles trees keep their needles so well. Years ago we used to have an artificial tree and that dropped more needles than our real trees ever have which I find really strange. This is a 6ft Non Drop Nordmann Fir, last year I requested a 5ft to save room but a 6ft is better height wise and they both take up about the same amount of floor space.
We used the Pines and Needles Nationwide Delivery Service which is very efficient. People are very busy in the build up to Christmas but the couriers are happy to leave the tree in a safe place. We were so excited to come home from school and find a (well packaged) tree in our garden! Dave carried the tree indoors, cut off the bottom to open up the pores, he cut off some lower branches too to ensure a good fit in the Christmas tree stand. Then together we lifted the tree upright and secured it into the stand provided. Another benefit of a real Christmas tree is they stand fare more securely than artificial ones (and take less time to put up). Locals and Londoners can head to one of their stores to pick up their perfect Christmas tree (or can have it delivered in London too).
Once the Christmas tree is up, it feels like Christmas! I can’t wait to start seeing the presents appear under the tree…
Thanks to Pines and Needles for supplying us with a Christmas Tree for the purposes of review.
