Christmas decor

For many years we used a Norfolk Island pine as our Christmas tree. Actually we had three of them, serially --  it was easier to buy a new one than to move a semi-tropical house plant in January.  Each of the pines grew large enough to accommodate quite a number of ornaments and a string of mini-lights.  In 2007 pine #3 succumbed to the arid climate of forced-hot-air heat in the Wisconsin parsonage. That fall I paid $20 for an artificial tree at the church rummage sale. It lost a tier of branches somewhere along the way so it didn't stand quite straight.  We used it for six Christmases, so I figured we got our money's worth out of it.

This week I splurged and bought a 4' pre-lit tree (half-off at the Zion Ace Hardware store).  It is atop a pine sewing stand (Fargo antiques store purchase) that is covered with a vintage tablecloth.  Our ornaments have been collected over the years. Every time I put them away I think I ought to weed out the ones that aren't particularly significant. I have yet to do so.

The nutcracker collection began with a gift from my mother circa 1990. It's either the soldier on the far right or the soldier who is second from the left.  I found the "twin" at a garage sale.  The blue soldier on the far left was another garage sale find.  Mother gave us three more. The rest I have gotten at TJMaxx or Marshall's. Each season they have a select selection of the previous year's models for half the list price, but they go quickly.  This year I was lucky and got the clockmaker (fourth from right).  These are all German-made.