Tuesday, April 28, 2009

I HATE my artificial Christmas tree!!!!?

Every year, days before, I fill with dread because I know what's going to happen. I pull the box out with high hopes, stick the poles together and then the tears start. I can't get my tree to look like a tree. Certainly doesn't resemble the picture on the box. It makes me angry and the family avoids me till it's done. The tree is actually over on it's side in the living room waiting. Husband didn't think it was funny to walk out of the bathroom and find scissor and knife handles sticking out of it. I can't be the only one with fake tree frustration. Is there help for me? What can I do to make this easier aside from a real tree? I want an artificial tree that pops up like an umbrella when you pull it out of the box and needs no fluffing. SERIOUSLY, I'm about to go up and start abusing the poor tree again. HELP!!!

I HATE my artificial Christmas tree!!!!?
You sure know how to make someone laugh. I have a fake tree and I just took it down from the attic. It's still in the box. I hate the thoughts of putting it up. I use a lot of decoration and one thing I found out is if you use ribbons. the large ribbon that is velvet with wire in it, you can make beautiful bows as big as you want. Use the ribbon and go from top to bottom with the bows in between. It really does make a nice looking tree. make sure you open up the branches. they are very pliable and will go in any direction you put them in. The ribbon is the best and you can get all colors, sizes, etc. Try it, I know you will like it. Don't cry, this is a wonderful time of year to be happy.
Reply:I couldn't ever figure mine out either. My moms always looks wonderful. Well, this year I got it right, even got compliments on it. Just take them out, and separate into your color coated piles, then work from bottom layer up...what I do is : Pull that back branches backwards to cover up the metal, then a few up a few down, I mean It will probably look like you have them way up, but I am sure it will be fine...just take your time, when I finally get a few rows on, I stand back and look and "Fill In" any holes by moving the branches, then of course when it is all done, I stand back and do a BIG look and fill any in there as well, Then strand lots of lights on, then garland then my ornaments and candy canes. Just remember to take it slow, and it will be just fine.





Tis The Season





Merry Christmas





PS...I usually spend my time fighting with the lights, you know like Clark Griswold ;o)
Reply:The tree is a symbol but not the true meaning of Christmas; a symbol of everlasting life , evergreens stay green all year ; you need to get in touch with the true meaning of Christmas and find wonder and beauty in everything; the glow of lights in the room when all other lights are out; the meaning of Christmas, the love of family and friends, the love of Jesus that he gave to us , tree or no tree; thanks and blessings for all the things that we do have; the sunshine, the sounds of waves on the beach; the most beautiful music that you have ever heard; the most beautiful flower and colors; so much; I felt sorry for myself for not having shoes until I saw a man with no feet; remember the meaning of Christmas, count your blessings and help someone else without getting anything in return; the world is full of opportunities
Reply:As long as you already have the fake tree up, get a can of spray pine scent, and keep telling yourself..... Safety is number one. I have seen to many houses burned to the ground from real trees. Don't like the fake one, keep an eye out for the one you like. Walmart or Kmart always has sales after christmas and save it for next year. Fake trees won't catch fire!
Reply:The trick is to fluff it, I take each branch, and arrange it. My tree is a 9 footer, so it takes awhile. And I arrange the lights, too. I don't just slam them up there. I leave them a little loose, so when I put the ornaments up, I can move the lights a little, for a glass ornament, the light goes behind, for a solid one, in front of the ornament. That way they compliment, make a clear ornament gleam, a solid one shine.


Another trick is to put a larger ornament, or a flower, or a toy in the spots where you can still see the tree. I bought floral picks on sale at Hobby Lobby, $.50 each, and filled in the smaller spaces. I use a decorative ornament bird house on the one downstairs, there is one space that I just can't fill, that does it. Upstairs, a handmade doll, a large Santa ornament, a huge white icicle.


Buy a garland in a similar color as the tree, and run it up around the pole from the inside. My old Mountain King tree had pieces of branches in the box for just this purpose.


Consider using foil icicles, I do on the big tree, it covers a lot of mistakes. And they are cheap. But it takes time to arrange them nicely, and more to pull them down, and get every little bit off, or you have a ratty looking tree the next year, with bits of foil all over it..


You get what you pay for. My pre-lit tree downstairs cost over $300, and it looks real, I get compliments. The upstairs one looks almost real, got it on sale at Walmart. But there is still holes in them, even in that price range.


PS, I grew up with real trees in the house, and there are still holes that need to be filled.


I have never found a tree that pops up like an umbrella, intact, my one downstairs folds up into an umbrella, but due to putting it into a box, and storing, it still needs fluffed. And, the branches are individual, and do come off, some have to be adjusted. The thing weighs a ton. But when the 1500 lights shine on the ornaments, it is worth every minute.
Reply:When my parents were alive my father went and bought a new artificial tree without me, as soon as we started putting the stupid thing together I hated it with a passion. The morons that made it used a metal hoop and if we put it where it to make it look not too fat and not too skinny you could see the hoop and as a result had huge gaps in it! If we moved the stupid hoop down so that it could be easily hidden the tree looked too skinny! I begged my father to take it back and lets get a better tree and this time I would pick it out but he refused. For 5 years I got stuck putting that sorry excuse for a tree together and every year I complained about what a piece of crap it was. Finally he got tired of listening to me complain and gave me money to go get one that I liked! I got a good one too. Just junk that sorry tree and buy a new one. And the pictures never look like what the tree does.
Reply:just leave the tree to your hustband.. let him do the decoration...
Reply:Kill it, only then will you be free!
Reply:Get a new tree. A high quality one will look great. A cheaper tree will look just that. I paid about $125 for the one I have now. It has different textured branches, pine cones, and lights already in place.


All of the branches come attached to the center post, and flip out into place when you attach the sections together. You still have to fluff the branches a little because it's been in a bow most of the year.


It takes about 45 min to set up, but then we save time with not needing to fuss with lights. (That's the part that gets my BP up!)


If your hubby has a problem with you getting frustrated with it, then he should do it himself.


Good Luck!


Merry Christmas!
Reply:I am one to stay angry at husbands that do not respond to a call for help.





Assemble the tree again by your self for the last time.


Boil spaghetti noodles until they are limp enough to hang on the tree. And decorate the hell out of it. If nothing else maybe he will get angry and throw it out. Don't use your ornimates maybe tensil will go good with the noodles. They are also nearly imposible to remove.


wish I could come and help you fluff it out. best wishes
Reply:go to target or one of those kind of stores..... my fake tree looks real!


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