Christmas Tree in Gray, White, Red – Christmas Tree Decorating Ideas.
As I was fighting with this Christmas tree over the weekend, I got to thinking …
You see, I bought this tree as a pre-lit one. Which is all great and good and convenient for like 4 or 5 or 6 years or so. Until …
until (insert drum roll here) …
until a strand of pre-lit lights stops working.
And that’s when the struggle begins. Because identifying the exact strand to replace is near impossible.
Two years ago when a single section of the tree went dark, I ad libbed (or is it ad hoc’d) it and just threw a new strand over the old.
Problem solved.
Then last year, there were a few more black out spots. So I ad libbed (ad hoc’d?) it again. The result, though? The tree was a bit overwhelmed with wires. And I knew this temporary light solution wouldn’t fly next year.
Welcome to next year!
So the unraveling began. As in removing the pre-lit strands of light. Eek.
And let me tell you, when they string these pre-lit trees they really, really string them. Seriously. It took me hours to get the old off. Not to mention all the fake tree scratches on my hands and wrists.
I won’t TMI you with a picture of my bloodied limbs, so you’ll have to take my word. 😉
And as I was struggling to unstrand the strands, I started thinking: how are these pre-lit trees strung? Is it automated? And if so, how? And if so, bravo to the engineer who came up with that automation line!
But if not … are they individually hand strung? And if so, well my combined cheers & condolences to the person whose job it is to string them. I’m hoping they wear some heaving duty gloves!
And now my pre-lit tree has one tiny little pre-lit section left. It’s the smallest piece of the puzzle that fits on the tippy top of the tree. I’m not sure why that one strand of lights continues to shine brightly. But if decides to follow the rest of the tree and dark next year …
I’m ready.
Though, next year I’ll wear protective gloves. 🙂
P.S. Clearly Ernie is enjoying this year’s Christmas tree!
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The already pre-lite trees aren’t really the best to buy. I would much rather put my own string of lights on.
Now, if you where my hubby, he would take the tree outside and with his handy dandy wire cutters he would go ahead and start cutting the light strings; out of there. He has no patience to stand there unstringing the bad lights.
If only I had thought of wire cutters!!! Next time! I still have one more prelit tree to contend with in the future … 🙂
I feel your pain! Well, not literally as I haven’t de-lit my tree at this point. Last year my husband spent about 3 hours one afternoon trying to find and replace all non-working bulbs and get some sections working again. It worked! Until about mid-way through the season the top stopped working…. and then what do you do! It isn’t so easy to throw another line of lights on the already decorated tree. Anyway, we bought a new tree this year…. pre-lit… but there has to be a better way!
Your husband is a saint! I was actually debating throwing out the tree and buying a new one! But all the new ones I liked were crazy expensive! 🙂
I don’t know whether to compliment your diligence or tease you for being so obsessed. Either way, I feel for you. We go to a farm to cut a fresh tree every year, so I plan on about 3 hours to put lights on my tree. So who’s calling who obsessed? Must take one to know one. : ) And my tree isn’t even here yet because we decided to wait until my daughter comes home from college next week. But I am sorry to hear about the scratches. You should just say to people who ask “You should see the other guy!”
All the best,
The Other Marian
I think teasing works! We also get a real tree that I put in the family room and we hang all the collected and gifted ornaments we’ve collected and have been gifted over the years! And we, too, await the return of the college student (son, in my case this year). But I let him and my husband get the tree and set up the tree and even hang the lights on the tree! 🙂
I Never throw away an old artificial Christmas tree. Plenty of artificial trees in the landfill already.
The old tree that we had was loosing it’s needles real bad so we sat it up outside for the birds to enjoy by decorating it with bird food, strung popcorn; bird seed ornaments, etc. of which I leave it set up all year long just for the birds to enjoy. The birds also have used it for nesting.
Keep them old trees and let the birds enjoy them.
Also can cut up some the branches and use in holiday decorating; center pieces, window boxes, etc.
( just Think outside of the box)
I love those ideas! Don’t be surprised if you see a future post about my new “outdoor” Christmas tree! Ha! 🙂
Looking forward into seeing your take on your outdoor Christmas / bird tree.
For all the pain you went through, it looks amazing Linda!
Thank you! It does make me smile! 🙂
Looks. Gorgeous. But you are a hero. I would have just bought a new tree
Trust me, I had that thought too. But my frugal-ness made me persevere! I was even thinking of reaching out to like Balsam Hill to see if they would donate a tree but figured it was too late in the season!
I also had to replace the lights on my prelit Christmas tree. The lights on my tree were held in with tiny little clips. Those suckers were hard to remove. My hands were covered with what felt like hundreds of tiny little scratches. However, I perservered and not only removed the old lights but strung new ones securing them with the same little clips. I think the point of the little clips is that the consumer will get so tired of trying to get the lights off they she gives up and goes to buy a new tree.
I agree! That’s their devious plan — but we showed them, didn’t we! Ha! 🙂
Beautiful room and the tree is gorgeous with that skirt!
Thank you! 🙂
Absolutely lovely tree, Linda. I don’t know how I haven’t come across your blog before. Nice to meet you through Inspiration Mondays!
Thank you so much! I haven’t been around for awhile (and unscheduled 6 month break!), but now I’m back and hitting up the party circuit again! 🙂