What a great time of year! Last weekend all five of us climbed into the Jeep, and drove out near Yamhill to the Oak Hill Christmas Tree Farm. It’s become a tradition for our family to drive out there and pick out and cut down our own Christmas tree. This year it was a bit later than usual. We normally like to go out the weekend after Thanksgiving.
Deanne and I really like the Grand Firs. They have a stronger evergreen scent than some of the others. They’re not as full as Douglas Fir, but fuller than a Noble. Oak Hill is almost out of them, but we found this beauty over on the edge near the full-grown trees. It’s actually pretty flat on the back, but it helps get it closer to the wall!
I always wire the top of the tree to the wall (with thin green wire that doesn’t really show much), because I’ve had two trees come crashing down. The last one was in the middle of the night, and some pretty special things broke on the hardwood floor! No more! I wire ‘em up tight to a hook in the wall!
This next picture is of our garage front. For the past 5 or 6 years (maybe longer!) I’ve strung up this same manger and star. I originally had planned to make a new scene on my “billboard” each year, but this one just feels right! I cant think of a better or more simple image than the baby Jesus in a manger.
I stapled it up for the first few years, but then I got smarter and just screwed in some permanent small brass hooks.
One year I actually got a prize for it! A family of four came to the door and explained that they had a tradition of driving around looking at lights, and they would look purposefully for the most original “true meaning of christmas” decoration. They picked me that year. I think I got a gift certificate and a card. I was proud to get it!
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