Amazing find! I wouldn't even expect to find a tree like that in July for $5! It's like it was meant to be, especially for you! Enjoy!

(Oh, and I totally hear ya on those awful hospital bills! My 2-1/2 day stay earlier in the year totaled out at close to $30,000! Thank goodness for insurance, but yeah, those copays still suck!)

I'm so happy for you! That is one beautiful tree and it looks perfect in your home. I just think it was meant to be. I hope that this lucky purchase is the beginning of better times, now that your husband is recovering. I wish you all the best.

Ingrid

I could not be happier for you!!!!!!

Maddie

Congrats. A lucky find. Looks good.

You got a great deal. Those bags that you put trees are $20.00 and up. It fits that spot nicely.

It's a really beautiful tree. It's the icing on the cake and I am sur it was meant to be. Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas reno_fan, Healthy wishes for you and your DH.

Wow! I feel like I do when I watch "It's A Wonderful Life"! All the best to you and DH!

Congrats on the steal, reno fan... I swear, I bought a similar tree last year at lowes for over $300 and it didn't come with a bag, so you done reeeaaaallll good!

that's exactly the kind of tree I've been looking for!

I'm glad you got it...

Wishing you and yours Good health from this day on.

ML

WELL done indeed!

A lovely miracle -- waiting just for you!

Happiest of Tree Trimmings!!

Jan

Hooray reno! Frugal Christmases sometimes turn out to be the most fun. Hope you & DH enjoy a happy, healthy holiday.

what an amazing find, you deserved it !!

Good golly that is a super score!! It looks perfect - I can't believe it was olny $5.00.

That is wonderful! I shared in another post last night that the previous owners of my home left a prelit tree in the box in our basement. My kid sis just moved in with her boyfriend this summer after her so was killed in a car accident the year before while she was 7 months pregnant. I had enough decorations to do hers and ours too. She was thrilled!

Alicia

Faith is an amazing thing. I am so glad for you. c

It is a season of miracles...large and small. Couldn't happen to a nicer person. Have a happy and a healthy. :)

My favorite word is HOPE. You went shopping with the hope to find something and you received your first Christmas gift. Geesh, this could be a screenplay. The tree is gorgeous but the story is better.

You guys are making me cry. Seriously. You're making me realize just how much I have to be thankful for this Christmas.

Honestly, some of my favorite Christmases are when we had nothing. It made every little "something" all the more special.

This is the least stressed I've felt in years. I know we can't afford much, so there's no pressure to go find it! I'm forced to slow down, use what we have, and enjoy the moment.

For gifts, we're going "old school", and I've begun compiling recipes to make a family cookbook, complete with photos from years in the past. I can sit by my tree now (yippee!) and cull both recipes and photos, and truly enjoy the holidays.

Thanks so much for understanding and appreciating the journey.

Sounds as if your family knows the meaning of the season. So glad DH is recovering- if you have each other and you have your health, you have everything. AND, a $5 tree! What a great story to pass down.

Where in the world did you find that tree? Big Lots?

What a wonderful find and it couldn't happen to a more deserving person. That is what I want--a prelit tree.

I'll give ya 10 for it LOL What a bargain!! And it's a really nice size, not too fat, not too short..perfect :)

Reno, so glad your husband is finally on the mend. What a gorgeous tree and wonderful find!

And I'm sure I speak for many here when I humbly implore: please, post some of the recipes?

You'll be celebrating the *real* holiday. Enjoy.

Honestly, some of my favorite Christmases are when we had nothing. It made every little "something" all the more special.

This is the least stressed I've felt in years. I know we can't afford much, so there's no pressure to go find it! I'm forced to slow down, use what we have, and enjoy the moment.

Reno, that is what we should all aim for...

Three years ago I made recipe books for my grown kids...not really recipes as such, but methods on how I cook things, from a regular roast to our beloved Chicken Gumbo and Crawfish Etoufee. I made copies of each, put them in sheet protectors and compiled them in binders.

I included a cover letter to each child about passing down ways of cooking (we are Cajun!) to each generation. My heart was in those pages - I almost had to cook each one to "re-create" approximate cooking amounts since I seldom use a recipe. I got the idea for adding the notes from the book linked below.

The kids were thrilled and I know they will keep those binders forever.

Susan

Here is a link that might be useful: Cooking With Cajun Women

Cool, reno -- it was meant for you...and I know what you mean about realizing how much you have to be thankful for--there was some of that at my house this TG, in that I was there for TG at all. That thankfulness and the bill, even after insurance, has pretty much shaped our holiday season this year :)

What a wonderful gift for you to start the holidays! Well-deserved, too! So glad that your DH is on the mend.

I would think about taking a pix of the tree, once you decorate it, and use that as a part of your family cookbook - perhaps a section on holiday "treets' or recipes for gift giving - to make it a forever memory.

I bet this will be a holiday you will remember forever. May you enjoy every moment!

GOOD for you~ HEALTHY wishes to DH.

Score! Reno this is great and I'm so happy for you and your family. I'm also glad your hubby is ok. Mine had kidney stones and boy are they painful so I'm glad he is on the road to recovery.

Merry Christmas!

This thread made my day! :):):) Your new tree is lovely and even better because of the cost. Please post another photo when the tree is all decorated and lit up.

I am really interested in what program you are using for your cookbook? I am going to start on one after Christmas, and have yet to find the perfect match. Never thought about including family pictures in it. Wonderful idea!

BTW - Not as great a bargain as you, but we also got a good deal on our real "fresh cut" tree this year.

We are relocating the room that we place out tree in(going from a 14'foyer to the 9'living room.) The place we buy trees from has their 9' and up priced for $95, then they drop to $65. Because of the tree stand height and the angel, we couldn't handle a tree any taller than 8.5, but really loved this one 9.5 tree. It was so straight and really full, plus it had just come off the mountain and still had snow on it's branches.

The Christmas tree lot owner took the tree out of it's "drill holed" stand and notice that the trunk had about a 5" split up the trunk. He cut off the split, trimmed the lower branches to fit in our stand (we always take the stand with us) and proclaimed that the tree was now 8.5 and was now only $65. :) With today's economy, we feel like we got a deal. The tree looks great in it's new location, too!

Merry Christmas and so glad that your husband is on the road to recovery!

yup. We sure get it on here don't we. I think many of us are in a similar situation. I am glad you DH is on the mend. Enjoy your relaxed simple Christmas. Your cookbook idea gave me an idea :) thanks!

Reno .. What a fantastic find, your new tree looks awesome! Best wishes to your family for a healthy and happy holidays!

Reno,
So glad to hear your DH is getting better. (Insurance sucks)
Your tree looks great.
Knowing you...you'll have it all decorated beautifully in no time.
Merry Christmas!

Smiles:)

Thanks again, all.

Pecan, I actually got the tree at the EARC Thrift Store in Edmond. They often have some gorgeous antique pieces, and I pretty much have visited their store once a week for the last 7 years! You just never know what you'll find.

Yes, the health/insurance thing just s*cks. While DH and I are both thankful that this is not a life-threatening illness, the problems he's had (and the complications) have been horrendous. I won't go into too much detail, but this has not been a standard bout with kidney stones. He's had those in the past, and they've always passed without much incident.

This time, however, we've had so many ER visits, scans, infections, that I've honestly lost count how many times we've been the ER, and how much money we've already spent. What I do know, however, is that we have a pretty high deductible, and the remaining 20% that we're having to pay is staggering, considering how long/how many complications he's had. Urf. What a royal pain. Also, because of complications, he's missed a TON of work. Every bout we've had has knocked him out for 4-5 days with pain, infection, drugs, etc. With him being completely out of it, I haven't been able to work much, either.

Ever have a year where you feel you've been pecked to death by chickens? No one "peck" is enough to do you in, but the repeated and relentless onslaught eventually just about knocks you out. That's how I feel about this year. You name it, and we've gone through it this year.

Coincidentally, that's why I finish some re-do projects so quickly. Sometimes the best stress reliever is to plunge myself into a makeover!

Reno--that's a great find, and I'm sorry to hear about your husband's health issues (but glad that he is on the mend). Insurance co-pays can really be overwhelming.

The tree will look beautiful once it's decorated. Hopefully this more relaxed Christmas will be exactly what you and your DH need this year.

I hear you on the "pecked to death" feeling. About 10 years ago, after 2 surgeries in our family plus myriad tests, we owed 16 different medical providers...that was tough.

When you look back on this year, I bet you'll remember what a tender blessing finding your Christmas tree was, and what joy it brought to you. Thank you for sharing with us!
Susan

Thanks for sharing your great find - It looks like your tree found the perfect home! As many remarked above, this year is posing challenges for most of us to rethink how to celebrate the holidays within our current means. You've demonstrated a great example. Best wishes to you and your family!

So glad you got a nice tree at a wonderful price, I hope you enjoy your Christmas. I'm so sorry about DH's kidney stones; I had them a little over a year ago and can attest to the PAIN of it all... even with good health insurance it is one thing I'd never want to go through again. Have a toast to good health for the New Year!

Reno, I'm so sorry to hear about the ongoing health issues for your DH. I hope the surgery has put an end to the infections, pain, missed work and all. Perhaps someday when you look back on this year, you'll think if we could make it through that, we can get through most anything! Strange how sometimes something good can come out of adversity, and with your positive outlook and attitude, I think that will be the case for your family.

I think the best Christmases we had were back when we didn't have 2 nickels to rub together.

Your tree is a godsend and oh so lovely! Do show us pics when it is decorated. I am sure your Christmas is going to be very special!

What a great story Reno.

We've been out of town for FIL's funeral, so I just saw your post today. We forced ourselves to put the tree up before we left. It was such a nice sight to come home to.

I was nodding my head in agreement with your "chicken pecking" and it's at these times when we can't give up and must simply trudge ahead.

Your Christmas tree is a sign of hope and trust.

That tree has found a happy home, reno. Merry Christimas, and best wishes for a speedy and complete recovery to your dear husband.

Reno, good for you! What a great buy...you're definitely a queen of bargains!

Hope that DH is feeling better soon!

Your post title caught my eye---I love anything about Christmas---
Sorry about your health problems and hope DH is recovering----I'm usually over on the antique rose forum but love to visit this site.

I love the story about your tree----Great bargain and the tree looks very happy in your home.
I wish you many happy years with your new friend (Christmas tree)
Thanks for a happy story.

Florence/zeffyrose

Perfect tree! Love this thread.

Thank you so much for posting, you've managed to bring out the very best holiday spirit in all of us.

(((((Group Hug))))) !!!

I am so happy for you! The tree is really beautiful . . . and so tall! It was one of those "meant to be" moments, I think. Don't forget to let us see it all decorated, will you? We'll all celebrate it together one more time.
My heart goes out to your DH. Both my husband & I have medical field backgrounds and I know how painful and dibilitating, bouts of kidney stones can be . . . and how insurance companies can quickly make your lives miserable, jumping through their hoops. I'll be keeping you both in my prayers that his recent surgery will do the trick and he'll be back to his old self soon. Wishing you a lovely, happy, healthy Christmas Season!
Lynn

Reno, now that I've read all of the threads, I just want to say that you will have a wonderful holiday season with your hubby feeling so much better, you have a gorgeous tree to 'do up' (ofcourse you'll show it off to us) and life should be grand in the coming year. Merry holidays to all o you. susan

Beautiful tree. I LOVE the "alien hound" in the background!!!

Reno,

As you might remember I grew up in Edmond... and raised my older three kids there in their early years. I was in Edmond for 1.5months this Summer when my dad died.. I noticed that the EARC had a new place over by where the old theater used to be. I have fond memories of the one that was behind the safeway closer to down town.. I dressed my kids from there for years!

Maddiemom

What a great find. This was MEANT to be, especially for you, Renofan. I bet other people were "blinded" to that tree, because it was meant to go home with you. :o)

I'm sorry this has been such a hard (and painful) year for your dh, and inadvertently, you too. So glad things are looking up and he's feeling better.

Enjoy your new tree. I'll have to head over to the Christmas tree thread and see if you've posted some decorations. :o)

Hugs! Hoorah for good things happening for good people. ;o)

how wonderful that your dh is getting better--and that tree is the cheeriest thing around.

so sorry your doggie is posessed,though!

Merry Christmas, Reno! It's a beautiful tree - you did good!!