I think that tip #6 is especially interesting.... I've never heard that about overloading the tree bottom with ornaments on purpose. Then again, I'd bet that whoever suggested this tip does not have cats! :) Did I ever tell you about the time I made gingerbread men to decorate the tree? Every day I'd come home from work and find a cookie or two on the floor broken -- but I could never fine their heads! I eventually saw her do it: my cat would knock a cookie off the tree, eat the head, and leave the rest. :p So, is there a tip about WHERE TO PLACE A TREE within a room??? I have a 24' long LR, but it's narrow and one long wall has a large bank of windows across the middle, as well as a door. I've tried placing the tree in the far corner, but it seems so out-of-view. I've tried placing the tree on the opposite end, centered on the other short wall near the door, but it seems to be too "in your face", IYKWIM. I'm tempted to try placing it more in the center of the room -- near those windows -- but does it make sense to do that if the furniture has to be changed some to accommodate it???

hubby and I made this one for our dgd a couple years ago, I beleive he has the pattern if you like, I liked the my pretty pony look for a girl, are you going to make the one you showed? oddie

The weekend after Thanksgiving everything changes to Christmas in our family. Always has. We have 2 grandchildren whos birthdays are Christmas eve, we wind up putting up balloons and multicolored streamers in the dining room, its comical, because all around the rest of the house its Christmas. Its the way it turned out, this is the season they were born in. Since its the start of Christmas season go for it, I would wait on putting up the tree though. I agree with others, silver and golds and sparkles would really bring in the festive elegant glow an anniversary party should have anyway.

Very lovely! I have a question, where and how do you store all of your decorations the rest of the year? Garage? Shed? Rental unit? I decorate fairly extensively inside our home for Christmas, but nothing outside really, and my storage boxes have pretty much taken over our large garage storage closet. So much so, my DH is threatening to "lose some". But, anyhoo, my major Christmas decorating starts today, so thank you for your inspirational jumpstart.