Hi friends. How are you all?
December is here and we will be seeing Christmas decorations and lights wherever we go
We too have got all our things from storage to set up our Christmas tree
We usually don't set Christmas tree every year and this is our second time setting up a tree
Our first Christmas tree set up is a funny story
People usually buy a tree first following which they get the decorations but we ended up getting a tree décor first since it was very pretty
Since we got the tree décor, we had to set up a Christmas tree
I will be mentioning the store names where we bought these from for people in Canada
We bought the tree from Canadian Tire
We got a 6 feet tree. Christmas tree and their decorations are on sale during this time of the year
I got the tree and the color ball decorations from Canadian Tire
I collected other decorations slowly from different places
There is no specific date to set up Christmas tree
Many start their Christmas decoration following Halloween on Oct 31st when they are already in the festive mood
Some prefer setting things up late and do it about two weeks before Christmas
I was hoping to set it up early so that I can enjoy the vibe for a long time
but I am doing it later than I expected
Some research studies support setting up the Christmas tree early as it benefits mental health
Since people usually prefer staying indoors and also the weather makes us feel a little low
Christmas tree at home helps elevate our mood
I personally have felt it too though we had a tree only once before
Because in Winter, its usually dark in the morning when we wake up to get ready to work
So once we see the tree, it kind off boosts our energy and hence I feel the study is right
There are different types of Christmas trees to choose from like real and artificial
Advantages of real tree are we can have a pleasant fragrance at home
and picking up a tree along with kids is a fun activity for many families and they do it as a tradition
It also helps the Country's economy and supports local farmers
Though we might think that it's not good to cut a tree, for each tree cut a new tree is usually planted
So looks like we do not have to feel bad to get a real tree
And mainly, it's biodegradable and can be recycled easily
They are cheaper compared to fake trees too
The advantage of having an artificial tree is that it is easy to buy and assemble
It's mess free as real trees tend to shed dried leaves which has to cleaned and also watered sometimes
It's hard to have a real tree when people are prone to allergies
There is no fear of fire hazard in fake trees as real trees sometimes start fire accidently due to the heat from tree lights
It's very easy to store and transport fake trees
Whereas we have the trouble of transporting real trees home and during disposal
Though these trees are expensive, we might not get another one and hence it's cheaper when compared to buying a real one every year
I did a little research about Christmas tree history. There are many types of trees like fir, spruce, pine..
As per history, these trees were being worshipped even before Christianity
Since these are the only trees which are evergreen when the others shed during winter
Hence people used to worship evergreen trees and have them hung up on doors to keep ghosts and evil spirits away
That's how these trees have been famous
Another story was about winter solstice, the longest night and shortest day of the year usually falls on Dec 21st or 22nd
In the olden days, people use to think that the Sun has fallen sick making the trees die
So people have worshipped with evergreen trees for Sun's speedy recovery
As summer follows in a few months, people believed that their prayers worked
I have opened all the branches and now I am going to hang the lights
Many trees come pre-lit but we wanted to light the tree our way and hence bought these separately
I have two bunches of light here
I am done hanging the lights and now I am moving on to the decorations
I got all these common decors like these ball hangs, stars and snow flakes from Canadian Tire
We will be needing hooks to hang these ones and I have saved it from last year in a zip lock. We just have to hook the pins to the decors and hang it
How is it Rowdy? Do you like it?
According to history, Germans are the first people to start these traditions for Christmas
German immigrants are known for bringing these traditions to Canada and the US too
In 1840s, there was an illustration of Queen Victoria when she was famous, along with her German prince and children celebrating Christmas in London along with a Christmas tree
This became famous worldwide and it's said that people started showing interest in these things since then
I am hanging it slowly as I am trying not to drop the pins since Rowdy is here
Before getting the tree, we were not sure if Rowdy would try to play with the tree or hangings
Rowdy did not do that to our luck. May be it's because there is no smell to attract him
He did try to come and play initially out of curiosity but when we said no, he listened and stayed away
I am done hanging the stars and next, it's the snowflakes
This one is easier since I don't need those extra hooks
I chose most of the decorations reflecting my personal liking except for these ball hangings as I got it in bulk to fill the tree
I like stars and snow. Even the other unique ones reminds me of something
First, it's Rowdy
This is actually a reindeer but when I saw it, it reminded Rowdy so I got it
Let's hang Rowdy in the front
Since coming here, we enjoy going on camping and cottage trips
To symbolize that, I got a Muskoka chair and a moose And how will I miss food. LOL. I started eating Sushi after coming here and I love it
Most girls love to shop for clothes and shoes, and I am no exception. So I got a shoe
Finally, this doll is our main decoration
This was the one I mentioned earlier. We got this tree only after getting this doll
On our anniversary, we noticed a shop called Flatiron Christmas market, near St Lawrence market when we went for a walk That store was exclusively for Christmas decorations
Both of us liked this one. I really wanted it but it was expensive since it was an independent boutique store
We did end up buying it as a memorable anniversary gift
Only after that, we got a tree. So I am going to place this doll on top instead of a star
Christmas tree skirt is used to decorate and cover the tree stand or trunk
I went and checked in store and it was $30. I would think twice before getting a skirt for me for that price. Then why does a tree need such an expensive skirt?
So, I am just going to decorate the stand using a scarf
People usually have many friends and families visiting and collect all the gifts they receive on the skirt
Then they open all the gifts on Christmas eve or Christmas day
No one is going to gift us and so this scarf should be good for now
Everything is done. I am going to turn off all the other lights and turn on the Christmas tree