santa baby

When we moved to the gardens, somehow, Jack talked me into buying a fake tree. He used logic like, he'd found a really great deal on a very lifelike tree at the big fancy place where crafty women buy their Christmas decor.

He had tried to talk me into the fake tree for years because he hates the very things about buying a real tree that I love, i.e., walking around a tree lot, outside in the cold winter air in the snow, looking at all of the options until we settle on the perfect tree, which then requires that Jack haul it to the truck, drag it into the house, trim off the bottom, drill a hole in the bottom, set it up and cover it with lights and cords, and then live with a tree that is not standing straight upright, for two weeks, until the needles all dry up and drop off, clogging the vacuum so it won't suck up much of anything, until I empty it, which is always a sad day because then we lose that fresh pine scent that accompanies vacuuming.

When Jack finally wore me down and I agreed to look at a fake tree, his final offer was that I could get a real tree for the basement and we would buy new ornaments for the new fake tree. Any kind of ornaments I wanted--because I suspect Jack knew I'd never want the fancypants crafty store expensive ornaments on a tree that I didn't even want in the first place.

And he was right. And that is how the Santa tree was born.

After we bought the fake tree, we went to the drug store across the way from the expensive crafty store and I began collecting Santa ornaments and declared that the only allowable ornaments would be Santa. Looking back, I am amazed that not only did I agree to a fake tree that year, but I also developed a theme for that tree. Uggg.

However. I have collected quite a variety of Santas since then. I mean, what Santa tree would be complete without a Santa rabbit? And the scraggly-looking Santa is one of the originals from the first year. The flat wooden Santa was from our stash of ornaments we'd collected through the years.



One of my favorites is the cowboy Santa



I bought the jack-of-all-trades Santa thinking it reminded me of Jack, but then I noticed that this Santa has not only tools but a bucket of paint and that's when I realized he was really a Gilian-of-all-trades because everybody knows that I do the painting around here.



This funny little guy is holding some type of dessert and a fork?



And I have several of these tiny little guys



This starfish Santa is from our trip to the Bahamas last year.



And what is a Santa tree without a Santa snow globe?



We even have a Santa star for the top of the tree.



Last night I took all of the ornaments off of the tree and prepared to wrap them in tissue paper to store them for next year. I have no idea how this guy got on my Santa tree--I mean, he's cute and all but where's his beard or hat? Wait--he does have a candy cane. That must have been enough.



I intended to take a picture of this angel Santa and horror of horrors! what is that Dupont #24 Chevrolet Jeff Gordon car doing on my Santa tree?



EVERYBODY in the gardens knows the only non-Santa ornament allowed is the #3 Goodwrench Service Dale Earnhardt Chevrolet! SHEESH!



Did I mention the tissue paper I wrap all of the ornaments in that somebody absolutely LOVES! to roll in, play with, shred, and look adorable when surrounded by?