Oh Christmas Tree!

Coming from a Jewish-ish, semi-Greek orthodox family, it's no wonder my clan has always been a tad ambivalent about the holidays. The main strategy thoughout the years has been to pluck out the fun parts of each celebration to make one super-fabulous month. Hanukkah involves fried potato goodness that is latkes and Christmas is a great excuse for ugly sweaters, cookie swaps and general feasting.  It also helps that all four of us in the nuclear family have birthdays within a month,  December 20-January 20 exactly. 


Yet while I used to enjoy helping the fam string up our glittery pine cone lights in the trees, it's been a while since I have felt like decking the halls to any extent of the imagination. This all changed however when a little bright green tree caught my eye at the grocery store. A lemon cypress variety, this guy does not shed and it's leaves emit a citrusy scent when rubbed. Suddenly the thought of decorating a tree did not seem as daunting, especially after I found pretty pink/gold/silver ornaments and mini bells at the craft store.  I don't do stuffy - this tree is free form and at ease with just the right amount of adornments to complement its neon hue.  For the base, I decorated some paper to wrap around the plastic planter and broke out one of my beloved glass dishes to catch the water in. Oh and why store the left over fixings when they can be displayed all pretty-like in a matching bowl? And yes, I have managed to incorporate purple into holiday decorations. Queue the merriment!