What's happening in your world?

[fool-ish]

My tree is of the artificial variety. I'd love a real tree but they are so expensive, I've had to forego the pleasure for many years now.

['thul]

Last time these beings needed a tree (not christmas tree, mind you) they simply rode a bicycle about 500m and chopped it down in the forest.

Christmas trees have far higher requirements than can be found easily out in the forest.

[Farseer]

It has long been a family tradition (one that I have carried into my 'new' family from my 'old' family) for us to head down to the creek on Christmas Eve to source a small gum tree and then decorate it after we place it in a decorated milking bucket with rocks.

I don't think I have ever had a fake tree , or even any other kind, and love the 'Australian-ness' of it...not to mention the lovely smell that it brings into our home. I fully imagine our children will carry it on, if their husbands and wives let them...

What else is happening? My second eldest son just found out his OP (Overall Position) score and the results of his QCS (Queensland Core Skills) test...all very exciting after the wait...and so I was finally able to reveal to him and my eldest son my own results from my ASAT (Australian Scholastic Aptitude Test) that I undertook so many years ago. I have made them wait SO LONG to find out...cruel, so cruel...and my eldest was rather annoyed that he had to wait an extra year! Now they both have a secret to keep from their much younger sister as she has far too long to go for me to make them wait that long! Their greatest concern has been that I would die before I did "the big reveal" and thus they'd never know what I got!

The number he received is nothing more than a number and he was always going to get into his first preference course at university. Terrible though when all of our years at school must come down to a number and, even worse, that society tends to then define us by it.

['thul]

These beings joke every year about getting a christmas birch, though the tree somehow ends up being a spruce every year.

[Farseer]

My tree is of the artificial variety. I'd love a real tree but they are so expensive, I've had to forego the pleasure for many years now.

Yes, I can imagine that artificial would be far less expensive in the long run!! Thankfully I don't have to buy mine as they are on private land...just look and chop.

Are there no rules for chopping down trees in your forests, 'thul? Or is the forest on/through your own land? Or do you just throw your spruces under a tarp or something and sneak them home?!

I've never had to really think about it but I can suddenly see the difficulty in having to pay not only for a 'natural' Christmas tree but even for firewood! I guess those are the advantages of having electricity these days...but I use firewood quite often and would hate to have to pay for it first! Having a wood stove then wouldn't always be a cheaper option to having to pay an electricity bill.

---

We've put up our Christmas tree today. Black tree with green trimmings...otherwise known as the 'Slytherin tree'

ps This would be worth giving up a natural tree for though...what a FANTASTIC idea!!!!!

Hmm...what about maybe a... *RotE spoilers?*

Spoiler

Buck blue tree with serpent and dragon decorations...or a black memory stone tree with silver Skill trimmings...

There's my day filled, thinking of RotE-themed Christmas trees...might be time to buy one of those fake ones after all!!!!

['thul]

There are rules, yes. The kind of spruce generally used does not grow nearby, so it has to be bought, but fortunately it is fairly cheap. (not that 'thul are the ones paying)

For woodworking these beings only take relatively small trees from well into the forest. Taking larger ones or from the edges would be less liked. Last times it was from the forest in between a nearby industrial compound and the railroad. It is also not very often that 'thul do take such. The longest tree taken was roughly 4-5m tall.

[fool-ish]

My tree is of the artificial variety. I'd love a real tree but they are so expensive, I've had to forego the pleasure for many years now.

Yes, I can imagine that artificial would be far less expensive in the long run!! Thankfully I don't have to buy mine as they are on private land...just look and chop.

Are there no rules for chopping down trees in your forests, 'thul? Or is the forest on/through your own land? Or do you just throw your spruces under a tarp or something and sneak them home?!

I've never had to really think about it but I can suddenly see the difficulty in having to pay not only for a 'natural' Christmas tree but even for firewood! I guess those are the advantages of having electricity these days...but I use firewood quite often and would hate to have to pay for it first! Having a wood stove then wouldn't always be a cheaper option to having to pay an electricity bill.

---

We've put up our Christmas tree today. Black tree with green trimmings...otherwise known as the 'Slytherin tree'

ps This would be worth giving up a natural tree for though...what a FANTASTIC idea!!!!!

Hmm...what about maybe a... *RotE spoilers?*

Spoiler

Buck blue tree with serpent and dragon decorations...or a black memory stone tree with silver Skill trimmings...

There's my day filled, thinking of RotE-themed Christmas trees...might be time to buy one of those fake ones after all!!!!

Now there's a great idea! Note to self, new trimmings for the tree next year.

The best Christmas trees we have available over here are imported from Norway, hence the expense. They look and smell lovely. If only I could afford one

I've just had to grit my teeth and put the central heating on because I can't stand being cold any longer! I'm shivering as I type! We've had our first dusting of snow today, only a little, but a taste of what's to come. Brrrr!

We've had somewhat more than a dusting overnight. A good few inches of snow now. Thankfully, I don't have to go out in it.

[fool-ish]

Well, I've done battle in the supermarket today. Some people really do lose whatever bit of common sense they have at this time of year! They stand around, blocking the aisles (trollies stationed width-ways!) whilst chatting or having heated debates about whether they really need to buy that bottle of advocaat, when only Aunty Betty drinks it and then she only has one glass! Still, the shopping had to be done and thank all the gods it's over and done with!

Anyway, after that mini rant, I'll take the opportunity to wish you all a very happy Christmas!

['thul]

These beings had no problem going to the store today to buy gift for their cousin. Took quite a while to pick the right one, though.

[Farseer]

Oh, I hate shopping of any kind at any time but especially around this time of year!

I am feeling most serene at present as I did the majority of my gift shopping a month or so ago and had everything wrapped and ready to go by last week. Off to chop down that gum tree today so the presents have a home to go to. One of the best ideas I've ever had for wrapping is to use cheap plastic tablecloths to cover large gifts eg drum kits, golf clubs, televisions etc. They can be used again and again and again...

Most of my Christmas food shopping was done many weeks ago with only a few things bought last week to top up the fresh stuff eg vegetables and fruit that I we don't currently have growing ourselves. Along with our fresh tree tradition, we have always had a cooked breakfast on Christmas morning with our kids only being allowed to open one present prior to eating, and I get to choose which present. We then all have to wash and wipe up together before getting stuck into the rest. It's evil but fun to watch them squirm, even when they're older.

I am finding that I am very excited about tomorrow in a way that I haven't been excited about Christmas for ages...while all five of us were here together last year, it will be nice to have us together again this year after my eldest son's first year out in the big, wide world and my second about to jump out there. Who knows where my sons will be or who they'll be with next year but, for now, it's nice just to have the five of us together without girlfriends or extended family joining in. This possibly sounds very selfish but...there you have it...I want my kids all to myself for at least one last time!!!!

I will be coming back and forth on here but, yes, for those of you who celebrate Christmas,

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

for tomorrow and, for those of you who don't, I hope you have a terrific weekend!