As above, I like to add decs when I see really nice ones!
I really like the appearance of themed trees, but for my house, we do the individual decorations.
I have one bell that belonged to my grandfather and a bunch of others that my mother bought for me as I was growing up. Then there’s the satin ball from my kindergarten teacher and the felt stocking from my first-grade teacher.
I continued the tradition for my kids, so we have ornaments for their first Christmases, high school graduation, and various hobbies.
I think the individual ones are best for a family tree, because many of them have a history, and part of the fun of decorating it every year is the memories that come rolling back.
Bit of both! My theme is wildlife. My decorations that I’ve built up over time are mostly wildlife related, just because I like them! So lots of individual decorations bought at different times, but building up a theme. And many come with memories as come from family, or certain places, or times in my life.
I have birds of various types, real and imaginary!
Yes just put the gherkin up, every one can see it, so defeats the purpose really!
Trees should always have birds in them, in my opinion!
Now, who does real trees and who does artificial?
I’ve always loved the real ones, but I learned a few years ago that I can no longer handle a 6-foot tree by myself, so I bought a small artificial one that sits on a table. I leave the lights on it and just put a garbage bag over it when I move it into storage.
Hi, no theme really, but I love red decorations. My tree is a small-ish one, with old deccies we had when the kids were little, plus a few newer ones.
I have some pretty large baubles in the window which I bought at a Nativity school play, when my grandchildren were small…they are very special to me.
Now my daughters live in St Helens, and Lincs and the grandchildren are in Liverpool and Salford. I hope to see them all over Christmas.
Boudsx
Real trees always! But I never have a big tree. Just a little one, about 2.5 foot tall, with roots that usually does me a few years before it ends up looking rather sad! I’m not very good at looking after them over the summer - usually forget to water them.
I’ve had a small potted holly bush (Ilex pyramidalis) on two occasions - they finally ended up planted out in a gap in my hedge. The blackbirds found the berries within seconds of me taking it out of my car and putting it by the back door. I let them have their dinner before taking it inside.
I’ve not yet got one for this year. Think I’ll buy something tomorrow. Or maybe this evening. In recent years my small ones came from Sainsburys. They may well have sold out by now though.
Oh! I have a whole bunch of holly trees growing in my woods! I have no idea how they got there, but it’s lovely to be able to walk around and see them at random spots.
Nora gave me a 1-foot live tree last year. I killed it.
They had got some manky holly bushes at one of the supermarkets today. Lots of berries on them, but looked like the bushes had been pruned by elephants not humans, though perhaps by drunk humans. I decided to look elsewhere.
Found a nice fir tree at one of the garden nurseries, pot grown and looking very healthy. I’ll try to not kill it off as it wasn’t cheap!