Oh Christmas Tree

With the holidays just around the corner, we are getting the house decorated and starting our holiday baking.  Watch for the upcoming post about the epic Christmas cake.

For me, the Christmas Tree is an important part of our tradition. 

I can't have a fake tree.  Its got to be REAL.  

So, one of the things that I absolutely LOVE about living in Nova Scotia is that here you can go to a Christmas Tree farm and cut your own tree down.  Gone are the days of trudging up to the mall parking lot, picking out a tree and then – how we ever did this I will never know – taking our 7 foot real tree home on the bus!  Crazy!

Anyway, a couple of weekends ago we went with some friends to our local Christmas Tree Farm – the Embree's Tree Farm in East Sable River. 

The setting is gorgeous – unspoiled woods with a multitude of trees to choose from.  All shapes and sizes.  It is difficult to pick the perfect tree. 

Too tall!

The trees are all so beautiful.  We always have a discussion about how large it needs to be? how wide?, are there any bare spots?  

Just right

After trudging through the woods, we finally come across the PERFECT Tree for us.

The highlight for the boys is the hot chocolate with lots of marshmallows and homemade cookies in the camp.  

Hot chocolate over an open fire

It must be the setting that makes the hot chocolate taste fantastic.

 

It is such a wonderful tradition. 

Our motley crew

The tree was set up and allowed to rest over night.  

Ready to decorate

Well, that pesky elf - one of Santa's surveillance team - decided that we were taking too long to decorate the tree, so he did it himself.

Elf on the Shelf decorated tree.

Fake flowers and stuffed toys!  Really?  You would think that one of Santa's elves would do a better job than that.  I mean - wouldn't that be part of the job description?  

Seasons Greetings to you all.