*This is a sponsored post for The King of Christmas. All opinions are solely my own.*
I know more Christmas sharing for me this week and I know it is still plenty early, but hey it’s my blog and I couldn’t pass up posting this Christmasy memory laden blog article – bare with me I promise there is an shockingly great reason for this highly gratuitous holly jolly post.
See Christmas and decorating for me is something that I have always loved, as far back as childhood and never quite sure why, but still I wait all year long even now for the day when we can dig out our Christmas tree to decorate it in all its glory.
There were only two years when where I couldn’t quite enjoy the activity of Christmas Tree decorating to the fullest.
1980s Inspired Christmas Tree Debacle
The first year was when I was thirteen years old (it was late 1980s) and my parents were in the middle of moving us from my childhood home to our then new home (fast forward over 30 years and I still live in this house – for those who don’t know we share the bottom half of their mother-daughter home).
Christmas Morning – A Happier Decorating Year for Us As Kids
Well, during this particular Christmas, we were to be moving right before Christmas. Long story short the closing got pushed back until right after New Year’s (we moved on January 2nd).
My dad, in all his Clark W. Griswald meltdown glory, put up the little white Christmas tree, he usually used in our big porch window. He propped this small scrawny, white Christmas tree on top (all already pre-decorated from the year before with Christmas tree Ornaments) of one of the boxes packed for moving and in his best humbug crazed tone, “Merry Frickening Christmas!” (Ok maybe he didn’t say it exactly like that, but you get the point).
Just couldn’t resist the second gratuitous flashback pic – You can thank me for some 80’s laughs on me!
Well, he was annoyed and frustrated and I get that so, but still very downplayed Christmas that year. After that year, he always made sure to go all out decorating our Christmas tree and decorate it early, too. I think he always felt a bit guilty about the 1989 Christmas tree debacle and tried his best to make up for it in the years after this.
2010 Christmas Tree Bah Humbug!
But still there was, as I shared earlier, one other year that I couldn’t really get into the Christmas tree decorating spirit and it was right after I had Lily. See, I had two little darling babies both of which took turns interrupting my sleep.
Lily – Baby #2 Really Put a Crimp in My Christmas Decorating Spirit in 2010
I totally decorated our Christmas tree haphazardly that year and even took our decorations down the very day after Christmas, because I just could stand the sight of all the Christmas tree chaos. I had enough chaos in general to just last me a lifetime.
And who could forget, Emma – Baby #1 Who Still Wasn’t Sleeping Through the Night By Her Second Christmas
But Now….
But that was then and this is now. And I admit, I am more then a bit excited for this Christmas. I am gearing up my decorating skills (more to come in the following weeks, I promise) and even contemplating getting a bigger, newer grander tree for us like the one below (I can totally dream can’t I!).
Christmas Tree All Decorated – Want This Tree!!
And then, I got asked to share this larger then life giveaway for a gorgeous brand new spruce 7 foot artificial Christmas tree with LED lights.
Yup, I was so in and couldn’t wait to spread some Christmas cheer to all my readers (I know we have over a month before we should be decorating, but still couldn’t resist).
So, here I am wishing all who enter a good luck and happy Christmas tree decorating, too!
Click HERE to enter!!
Robin (Masshole Mommy) says
I am so over having a Christmas tree. I totally get why my parents don’t have one anymore.
Nellie @ Brooklyn Active Mama says
I am excited to enter this giveaway! I love a big gorgeous Christmas tree, the more decorations (albeit tasteful) the better! I can’t get enough!! 🙂
Ginny Marie says
I love Christmas trees! I’m definitely entering the giveaway! And I totally had the same belt in the ’80s, only mine was white and not gold. 🙂
The Dose of Reality says
O…M…GEEEEEEE! Your 80s drop waist golden belt is the very definition of FABULOUS!!! It made me Squee!!!! I’m fairly sure I had one just like it.
I’m with you…that last tree is gorgeous. I need it! Now excuse me while I go enter the giveaway! I have all my crossables crossed!!! Woo Hoo!! –Lisa
Seana Turner says
We’ve had our “ups and downs” with trees as well… some years definitely better than others. But I think the constancy of always having SOME tree is what I love about it- it isn’t about being perfect, its about having it standing there. Great giveaway idea:)
Kate says
I haven’t had a Christmas tree in my own place in the last few years but will this year. I am excited!
Bill says
We go out and cut ours every year, and it is a special occasion for us. As for those pictures of you….priceless! Have a wonderful Friday my friend.
Echo says
Ugh Christmas already, LOL!
Nice tree and giveaway though!
Kim @ HappyPrettyBlog says
OMG that 80’s pic kills me haha! Our Christmas last year sounds a lot like yours from when Lily was born. I hope this year will be easier since Ben is a little older and I’ll still be pregnant but we shall see! I’m looking forward to this one much more than last anyway haha!
Amanda Love says
I need a big tree like that. We usually buy a real tree but I want a big fake one this year. I’m mobile right now but I’m so going to enter and hope I win.
Chris Carter says
Those 80’S PICTURES ROCKED!!!! I think I had that same belt… and sweater dress!!
What a story Janine!! Bless your daddy’s heart for trying to save Christmas with that little tree!!
I LOVE this giveaway… I would LOVE to bless someone with the tree if I win it!!! I can think of several families that need one. 🙁
Bev says
Since I’m Jewish we didn’t have a tree growing up, but periodically I would get to help a friend or neighbor decorate theirs and it was so much fun! And Sam is originally from Russia, where everyone regardless of your religion has a New Year’s tree. We did it once or twice and I made it the most Jewish looking tree ever!
Carrie Groneman says
Janine, this is a great post and I entered (hopefully right, lol) the awesome contest. Keep up the great work kiddo! Carrie, A Mother’s Shadow
Jen says
Janine your 80’s pictures are awesome! I am thinking of being a grinch this year. My 1 year old is a terror and the tree will either come crashing down because of her antics or I will constantly be picking up broken and splattered ornaments. I’ll keep you posted on my grinchy antics 🙂
Aunt Gloria says
Unfortunately, I’m not in NY to share your Christmas tree and decorations. But I know you do a great job. I remember all the beautiful trees your dad decorated over the years. He really made it special…..and so do you. I, on the other hand, am a “scrooge” about Christmas and add no decorations to the house at all! I enjoy the tree and decorations in the club house and the surrounding areas where folks really do it in style! My point is….then I have to take it all down! Ugh! Have a good weekend. xxoo
Kim says
I love the throwback pictures – you were totally a fashionista even in the 80s!!!
I think you can never have too many trees or Christmas decorations. I put a tree in every room (it has taken years to collect all of this!!) and love it. Usually we decorate sometime the week of Thanksgiving and leave everything up until the first full week in January.
Rea says
Pretty lady!! I love your throwback photos!! 🙂 Christmas trees are magical. Once we didn’t have one, my father placed christmas lights on a real tree in our front yard, it was so nice!! And last year we had a bonsai christmas tree! 🙂
Sinea Pies says
I love decorating my Christmas tree but we did have one debacle when I was a child. The tree we picked out was tall, heavy and (though you couldn’t tell right away) crooked. Many a night we could hear “crash” from our diningroom, only to come downstairs the next day and find it on its side on the floor! LOL
Rosey says
I want a fake tree. The real ones smell good and look great, but the pine needles… ohhhhh the pine needles. And awww to your little girls’ pics, they’re such sweethearts!!
Stephanie @ Life, Unexpectedly says
Wow, this tree looks so pretty! I’m more for the Scandinavian look in our own home, but it definitely looks special! Due to the kids, we also prefer non-break (but no plastic) ornaments. I wonder if I manage to decorate this year 🙂
Diane Roark says
Janine,
I love seeing the pictures of your and your Christmas tree growing up. You look like you were a mess. I enter everything for the giveaway.
Thanks so much for sharing!
Blessings,
Diane Roark
Tamara says
Is it weird that I want your red sweater in your old photo? I do!
And you know our debacle last year. Tree was 20 feet tall (no exaggeration). Husband almost broke his back.
This year we’re going to do a nice 12/13 footer and we’ll even do it Thanksgiving weekend. And I’m slightly allergic to pine and the smell made me sick when I was pregnant with Des.
Sometimes artificial is best.
Julie says
Love the 80’s pics, thank you SO much for sharing – wow we all really rocked our looks back then didn’t we! I love a good smothered Christmas tree, nothing to fancy or colour co-ordinated just everything thrown on. Love it!
Kristi Campbell says
I adore the flashback photos of you as a girl Janine and I LOVE Christmas trees. I think maybe because my dad used to put a sheet on ours, all decorated, and carry it to the basement each year is why I love decorating them now so much!! Aso, fake trees never have ticks!!
Michelle @ A Dish of Daily Life says
This is going to be the first year in a long time that I have decorated, because we are actually going to be home for a change!! Definitely a great giveaway but we always cut down our own when we are home (I actually haven’t put a tree up for the last few years because I knew we weren’t going to be home). I enjoy getting all the old ornaments that the kids made out and reminiscing…they grow up way too fast!