Festive Retreat: Christmas Tree

The next stop on our festive retreat tour is the Christmas tree. Its a simple design, nothing over the top and definitely a traditional colour scheme. Growing up, we actually never had a tree. I used to look at my friends cozy homes during the holidays and hoped that one day I could have one in my home. The first December I got married, we purchased and decorated our first Christmas tree and we have never looked back. Since then, we have acquired new ornaments and crafted other accessories to go along with the tree to bring the cheer all around the home.

Real Versus Faux?

We are all about the Faux tree since there isn’t the hassle of purchasing, transporting and hauling up to the fourth floor. Its a simple assemble and disassemble cycle every year.  To add the ambient scent of pine trees into the home, I use candles and plug-ins, it does the job without the mess of pine needles all around the room.

Tree skirt or not?

Last year, I sewed together a tree skirt in a red satin and black decorative fabric but it was never sufficient. It never looked as neat as I wanted it to. This year I scrapped that idea and went for something new. This is basically a wicker basket that I had sitting in our storage that we customized (tore strategic holes into) to hold the tree with stability.

My favourite ornament:

My favorite ornament is actually not an ornament at all. These are poinsetta tree picks that my mom gifted to me and they are just the prettiest pieces. They add a special feature to this otherwise simple tree. Those presents under the tree are merely cereal boxes wrapped in Christmas wrapping paper. As I mentioned earlier, we do not exchange presents but the ambiance that the tree creates and the traditions that the tree represents are worth the effort. The tree is the shining star of the holiday season and I just won’t go without it. 

Tree Topper: 

This year, we chose a ribbon Bow that matched our colour scheme but we are hoping to transition to a crescent moon for next years display. This would add a touch of our ancestry and religious values but with a western twist.
Update: A few more pictures for your enjoyment

Well thats it for this years Tree display. Who knows what next year will bring?