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So last I left you...I'd had a change of plans with my Christmas decorating.
I couldn't get my green stuff out of the garage.
So I decided to do the white tree again.
I had no choice.
I had the white tree stored inside where it is safe and sound.
I got it out to put it up and almost all the lights have quit working.
How did this happen on a tree that worked when I took it down last year
and has been stored inside all the year long?
I was so upset at the thought of trying to figure out why they weren't working...
I nearly threw the tree out.
Nearly
I couldn't afford a new tree.
I was so upset I quit decorating and went in and laid on the sofa and watched
a lot of tv....like a whole lot of tv...I slept and watched and mostly slept
avoiding the obvious. I was going to have to make that tree work.
Tonight I came home from work with a new sense of merriment and a plan.
"I'd just take off all the lights and string on new ones!"
How hard could that be?
A few hours of work at worst.
Well, six hours later...I finally finished.
Taking the lights off a pre-lit tree was quite the chore.
It was at one point turning into a bloody Christmas.
My hands are torn up from trying to get the lights off the thing.
I don't EVER want to do that again.
(I am now concerned about the workers in China that make these things to begin with.
Their hands must be terribly messed up all the time.
I'm really worried about this. It must be a terrible job - attaching lights to pre-lit trees.)
I thought I'd put several hours into it tonight and have the tree up and decorated.
Wrong.
The tree is up but not a single bauble on it.
At one point...as I cut light strings trying to untangle the mess...I truly almost
decided no Christmas here this year.
But you know what?
Once I finally got the tree up and standing straight and all the lights lit...suddenly
a little bit of Christmas filled the air.
It's here! It's here!
I thought it wasn't going to come...but I was wrong...it was just severely delayed.
I mean I've really been struggling.
This was suppose to be a great Christmas with all the trimmings.
My last two were not so good and this one was suppose to be THE one.
The one where I could decorate with wild abandon.
But so far the things that are usually simple are giving me grief.
This is why you are suppose to start early.
I know this...but I never learn.
I hope your Christmas preparations are going more smoothly than mine.
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23 comments:
The pictures you posted are very festive! Love the pink! The lights on my white tree quit working a few years ago and where they were connected I used wire cutters to loosen the grip. Removing them wasn't too bad. Yes, decorating can be a real chore. It actually wore me out. I had to work one room at a time, but the real problem I think is after putting all the empty boxes and containers away only to be hauled back out in a couple of weeks. Not looking forward to that.
Nita,
I feel the same way here at my home. I just can't get it going. After reading your post I'm getting it together. Today! It's not to late and I'm not giving up. After all we get to enjoy it long after. Right? At least until New Years. Thank you for the motivation.
Sharon
I have had to re-light several pre-lit trees so I know how you feel, it's not fun and shreds your hands. I have also had one section go out on an already decorated tree, that was really fun.
Now that you have your tree finished, I hope the rest of your holiday is merry and bright!
I think lights on Christmas trees were invented to drive us insane! It's so frustrating when they don't work. But I bet your tree looks gorgeous now. I love your pretty images and all of the pastel colors!
I had to remove lights from a prelit tree 2 years ago, and believe me, Nita, I FEEL your pain!!! But I never learn either, because I bought a new smaller PRELIT tree again this year. Good luck with your adventures in Christmas decorating!
Nita, were you living my life yesterday???!!! You have acurately just described what I did (and felt) all day yesterday, bloody fingers and all! Who knew removing the lights would be so hard? Well, I did what you did and stung new lights and finally by 8pm the tree what decorated. It was worth it because now I DON'T have to cut off lights again next year! Ha! Thanks for sharing "our" experience. It will be a GREAT Christmas!
rosie
You poor baby !!!! I've been there its a nightmare !!!So glad you made it thru ! Hope your Christmas is the BEST ever from here on out !
I had to get the college kid next door to come figure out my lights. But you know what. We can make the tree beautiful even if we have no lights. Last year I decorated without the tree at all. You'll get there. It's kind of hard for those of us who live alone I think.
Brenda
glad you didn't give up, I'm excited to see it all put up and glowing!!
I had to do that once to the Pier One prelit tree in the store. The darn thing was half burned out. I told my manager It won't take me half an hour to have those
old lights off the tree....well my shift was almost over by the time I got the last string off.
He was mad, but they strung fresh strings on after I left and the new lights looked great. My hands were all scratched and sore
after doing that and I was dusty and it felt good to take a warm shower when I got home. I'm glad you are feeling that old Christmas spirit once again.
Oh, no my dear. You are not the only one who is struggling. The weekend after TDay, we got out the bins of Christmas decor and I got started . . . except the tree. The tree was not put up until last weekend. I got as far as twining wired ribbon through it as a garland, before I became ill. As of last night, it is 95% done. What is usually a weekend long job has turned into - what? - 2+ weeks? I feel tired just talking about it. I'm sure whatever you do, big or small, will be perfect and charming. It always is.
I feel your pain. I had to redo a 12 foot garland and that was a pain. I can only imagine how hard doing a whole tree would be. Our tree has lights out in a few of the lower branches and we thought we might replace it this year. The tree I liked was $400 on sale. Not happening! I turned the tree so the bad lights where in the back. Even I don't notice it.
Have fun decking out your tree today.
Traci
Whew.
To be honest I thought I was going to read that you were trapped under your garage door and the wienies had to tug you out.
So I'm really glad to read that you ended up being festive and in the Holiday mood even if the journey there was rough.
I haven't decorate yet.
I haven't decorated for several years and planned to do it this year but if I don't do it this weekend, then it's not happening.
But because of THIS post, I will really TRY to get it done.
xoxo - Cindi
Goodness me, I know how you feel! Not a whole tree, but a favorite string of lights went out and i just hard to replace them all together. I don't get how they work and then 11 months later in careful storage they don't.. I even changed the fuses in the light string... nothing. In the end after putting up all my vintage Christmas it didn't matter because the roads were so bad we had to have one of our parties in another location.... BLEH Christmas! But I love it, and I hope I get to show off my decorations soon. Your pink everything looks wonderful!
Been there done that bought the Tshirt. Three times! When we bought that big 9' tree year before last, I said no no never again! Stringing the lights on and untangling them is a pain, but NOTHING like cutting them off and redoing them. I tried unwinding them, but that does not work. I noticed that they were tied up with weird knots making it impossible to just unwind. Thankfully, most lights now will stay on even if one goes out. My pretty white tree went dark all at once, and now the blooming thing has turned yellow! I am thinking of getting it flocked if I want to use it again.
Ohhhh, Nita, I hope things are gotten better, my friend. You need Christmas, you really do. You need some merriment and joy! We all do, don't we. Have a good weekend and here's to a better week for you next week!
Hugs, cindy
Such pretty pictures. Even though it wasn't funny to you, it made a good story to tell. I like how you slept and watched tv and sleep some more, hah. I'm sure the rest of the decorating will go much better. Happy Holidays.
I have a friend who has a pre-lit tree and her fiance checks and changes out all the bulbs every year. Crazy stuff. I'm going to be in OKC next week. Would you like to get together?
Poor Nita! How are your hands now? I'm also very late on everything Chrsitmas this year as well, and I also thought it would be easier this year!!!
Merry Christmas and Best Wishes for a Happy New Year!
Bring you Good wishes of happiness.
Sorry for greeting you earlier,, just don't want miss saying this.
By the way, I'm prima. It's my first time visiting your blog. I am blogger
too, and now try my best luck to open an e-store. Nice to know you.
Regards,
Prima
Glad it didn't get the best of you Nita. I can imagine just wanting to throw in the towel. Things shouldn't have to be that hard, I agree. Especially not Christmas! Well we got our tree up and I have started thinking of getting a fake pre lit tree, but I never imagined the lights would stop working on them!! So now I may never buy one. I guess we will keep doing the real tree and stringing lights...we got 2/3 of our ornaments attached...still a box full of ornaments to put on and I have to make a tree skirt too. maybe today since we got 6 inches of snow and it feels Christmasey.
I have wondered what I'd do if the lights on the two faux Christmas trees we have stopped working. One is even flocked white with the lights under the flock. I try to limit the time I turn them on, trying to prolong their life. I think you showed great persistence in removing them and putting on new lights. I always dread decorating the tree for some reason but once the lights are on, you're so right, the excitement of Christmas surges through me!
Beautiful vintage Christmas items you've shown here!
Hang in there! It's got to get better!
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