The Trimming of the Tree

When most people talk about trimming their Christmas tree, they mean festooning it with ornaments and lights. But when we trimmed our tree, we actually cut off about half its branches. And the point of doing that was to create space for plenty of ornaments.

Victorian Christmas Tree For over a decade, we’ve had a fake tree to avoid dealing with dried, fallen needles on the floor.
But this year I remembered a Christmas tree from 2011 that inspired me to go “au natural.”
My inspiration was a Victorian style tree over at An Urban Cottage.

I didn’t want a fat, rounded tree. I wanted something a little more old fashioned
But I still wanted plenty of sparkle and bling. Cutting off branches made sense.

We found a Norway Pine at a local tree farm and cut it down.
When we got her home we cut off about half the branches.
I have to admit, I wasn’t brave enough to cut off as many branches as the inspiration tree.

After stringing the lights I loaded her up with ornaments.
I used landscape burlap for the skirt. No sewing required!

Gotta have a kitty cat ornament!

Several Santas are on the tree, along with plenty of vintage ornaments.

Strings of glass beads were draped ’round the tree.

A few snowmen make their appearance, too.

Wishing you and your family a blessed Christmas as we remember the holy birth of Christ!
You can see our entire Holiday Home Tour here.

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45 Comments

  2. I adore your fresh old fashioned looking tree. This reminds me of the trees of past Christmas’. Most the ones today are extremely full. My only problem is that I’m allergic to any juniper family of trees so it’s a faux one for me. I’d like to find a faux tree that looks like the one you created.
    Ann

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  3. Oh what a pretty tree. I would like a real tree :-/ But alas allergies.
    But I can enjoy yours 🙂 The vintage ornaments are a treat as well.
    Thanks for sharing. Merry Christmas to you and yours.
    Gee

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  8. What a great idea! We’ll have to do that next year. It’s so hard to find a tree that gives you enough “depth” to put all your ornaments – thanks!!

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  10. Jennifer,
    You did GREAT job! It looks just like an old-fashionied Christmas tree you’d see in an old movie like “It’s a Wonderful Life.” Isn’t it scary when you’re cutting? I cut out about 50 percent of the branches on a second tree I did this year and it’s amazing how natural it still looks. I’m very impressed with what you did.

    Merry Christmas!

    Steve

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  11. Estimada Jennifer y demás amigas bloggers que vivís tan lejos, pero a las que , sin embargo, os siento tan cerca : Os deseo que paséis una muy Feliz Navidad. Os mando un abrazo.

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  14. I so want all those vintage ornaments. Love them all, I think I am swooning:) I like a trees with branches far apart too. My hubby says I pick a Charlie Brown tree every year, the ugliest one in the forest. LOL Yours turned out so beautiful.

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  16. Hi Jennifer! I see what you mean, your inspiration tree is magnificent! Yours turned out really good, it looks pretty. Did you see my feather tree in my last post? It reminds me of your inspiration tree. Take a look and let me know what you think. Merry Christmas! Gina

    Reply

  18. I love the look–it must have taken some brave action to do that trimming! My fake tree looses lots of needles now, because it is old. This year I had to make it fit in a smaller place so I left a few of the lower branches off and the remaining branches I bent a bit more upwards ;-). Have a blessed Christmas too!

    Reply

  21. Jennifer, Your tree is beautiful. I just love traditional trees.

    I’m having a PINTEREST Social hop. I’d love for you to hop on over, grab a button and link up your Pinterest. If you don’t have Pinterest it’s ok, come link up your blog.

    http://mydailyphotojourney.blogspot.com/2012/12/pinterest-party.html

    I’m also looking for Pinterest Pinners to feature every week beginning in January. If you are on Pinterest and are interested in being featured come link up! Who knows you might meet some other great pinners and gain a few great ideas.

    http://mydailyphotojourney.blogspot.com/2012/12/looking-for-pinners.html

    Have a crazy beautiful week!

    Reply

  22. What a fabulous idea, Jennifer! I never would have dared cutting off some branches to make the tree look more airy and vintage. But it’s just perfect! It’s just beautiful…. 🙂 Hope you had a blessed Christmas day, my friend!

    xoxo laurie

    Reply

  27. Just found your blog through Nita’s. Thank you for the kind words to her. Although she and I do not know each other personally, I follow her through her words and photo’s and seem to know her heart as well.
    Your tree is wonderful and I certainly hope your Christmas was the same.
    May your new year be of health and such ease and peace….
    Holiday hugs from Idaho

    Reply

  36. Love it!!! And definitely putting that tip on my “christmas tips and wants to do list” for next year. I think Frazier firs are so pretty but a spruce tree gives you lots more space to dangle the ornaments but I rarely see spruce trees on the lots around here. Your ornaments are just fabulous. Happy New Year

    Reply

  37. Jennifer, your trimmed tree is most gorgeous! My favorite trees are always the ones that look sparse and are festooned with old fashioned looking ornaments. I never seem to find those sparse trees and wouldn’t have thought of creating the look myself. I’m going to tuck away your post (pin it) and see if I can swing doing this next year. I absolutely love your tree. Glad you went natural rather than artificial this year. The result is beautiful.
    Liz

    Reply

  42. I’ve been away from my favorite blogs for a couple of months and today am catching up. You know how, by the first week of January you’ve kind-of had enough of Christmas and are ready to pack it away and move on to the new year? Well, I thought I was there, until I looked at your gorgeous holiday decorated house photos today, and now I want to start all over again!! Yours truly has been my favorite of all the wonderful decorated homes I saw this year. You constantly inspire me with the beauty of your home. Happy New Year!

    Reply