And now for a little gem of a memory from my past:  When I was a kid we always bought fresh trees.  I'm not sure if Christmas tree stands weren't invented yet or what.  Actually I'm quite sure they were around -  I think my dad just figured he could get our tree to stand straight without the help of some plastic thing with screws...3 very very convenient screws.   It always took what seemed like at least 2 hours just to get the tree standing.  We didn't use a generic tree stand from Wal-mart.  Oh no.  We used real man supplies...a bucket and some bricks.  Sounds scary, right?  It was.  A few of us were assigned the job of holding the tree as straight and still as possible inside of the bucket, while a few more kids were spread out on every side of the tree yelling, "It's leaning to the left!"  "Oh no! now it's leaning to the right!"  It's falling into the window!"  And my dad would be on the floor under the tree grumbling, and shoving bricks down into the bucket very strategically so as to hold the tree straight.  It was very tedious work.  Someone always got in trouble for not holding the tree perfectly still.  And  overall it wasn't a very merry time.  But by the time the decorating began we all forgot how mad we were about the dang tree.  Mom, Dad, we go fresh because of you, but we ARE the owners of a regular old tree stand.  It's been a great source of family harmony.  And I've since learned that the entire process of purchasing, setting up, AND decorating the tree can be completed in approximately 90 minutes rather that 9 hours.

Merry Christmas to all of you!  Hope you are enjoying every minute of this blessed time of year

 with your family and friends.