Our Christmas Tree

Nothing makes my house feel cosier in the winter than a Christmas tree covered in fairy lights.  I love the idea of waiting until just before Christmas to put it up, keeping the magic just for the big day but I can't resist getting it up a bit early, even if I don't put up any other decorations as it warms the house, makes the dark evenings brighter and provides me with endless exercise, removing small children from the lower branches and returning the ornaments that they insist on pulling off.

We were sent a new tree this year from Christmas Tree World (the 6ft Ultra Mountain Pine) and I have to admit, it was up in the corner of our living room before the end of November.  The tree is so easy to assemble with just 4 pieces including the base and realistic pine tips that make it look much more natural than our previous trees.  Everytime I look at it I am reminded of the trees out in the mountains and so it seems the perfect place to have it next to our snow pictures.  I am hoping this tree will last us many years as it is the perfect size for our room and feels really well made.

This year I decorated with only one small 'helper' at my side and it was like a trip down memory lane as we brought out the box of baubles.  We started as a new couple with a box of baubles from a supermarket, all uniform and co-ordinated but we took our baby son out to the garden centre that first year and each chose (him with a little help) something to go on the tree. Every year that became a tradition, to all go out and choose a decoration and now our tree is a mismatch of styles and shapes with a few surviving simple baubles amongst them.

Not all of them have made it through the years.  Some got lost, some smashed, some squirrelled into a toy box to be played with throughout the year but I still love how unique our tree is, how I still remember who chose what, and that we still have the 'baby's first Christmas' baubles hanging proudly.  We haven't planned this year's bauble buying trip yet but I can't wait to add six new decorations over the coming weeks.

The rest of the house still needs to be made festive and I am in no rush but the moment I walk through the front door and see the tree glowing brightly, it makes the dark evenings warmer.

 This post is in collaboration with Christmas Tree World