Our Holiday Tree

Merry Christmas One and All...and a safe and happy shopping experience for those of whom do not celebrate the cultural holiday, but do reap the benefit of all the sales!
Every year we think our Christmas tree is the best one ever. This year, I do think we got it right, even scaling back and down-sizing as we did. This lovely 5 ft spruce even grew a little grander once covered in family heirloom decorations. And of course, one has to place a few decorative gifts beneath, to fill out the image and effect. Our dogs are so funny..constantly snooping, snuffling all the packages, laying beside the tree and tails thumping in anticipation each time we stir on the couch as we watched the Sound Of Music, and other seasonal programming on the Big Screen.
My shopping is completed, right down to the little Elvish joke gifts we always find the right recipient for- but that's another story! I have a little wrapping left to complete when the guys are at work, perhaps some shortbread to whip up, but for the most part, I can just sit and watch the lights on this year's tree twinkle, and the reflection in our Doberman's eyes as she wags, patiently awaiting her turn at unwrapping. The cats have snooped, discovering that once again, sap tastes awful and spruce needles between their toes are painful- giving the tree a wide berth, as one would give an alien invader! With an artificial tree, they become jungle cats, climbing into perches high above sleeping and unsuspecting dogs, waiting to pounce. With our real trees, they slink in shadows, sneaking silently, sniffing for danger and jumping airborne at every rustle and sigh of our sleeping guardian dogs. For the next 2 weeks or so they will be frustrated at the lack of birdwatching, as the tree took the place of the cat perches at the window. Ahhh well, they'll appreciate it all the more when its gone! The Heat-Seeking Beagle will just have to work a little harder to find the Beam between the shadows of the branches- provided we even get any sunshine to send her a Beam. A large Granny Square now decorates her sleeping ball, soft and cosy, collecting all her dispensed hair as she sighs and snuggles into it. A cosy Beagle, sleeping beneath the stockings hung and waiting, and a snoring Doberman wags and twitches an ear along side the glittering tree..all is well in my world today.
Merry Christmas and a safe, healthy and Happy New Year to all.