We’re trying to do a little Christmas decorating amidst the other projects I have taking over the living room right now. But, we still managed to put up our tree that we got from the wonderful Lopez Ranch Tree Lot on La Brea and Melrose in LA. It looks fantastic! Smells great too. $60 with the stand and it’s huge and fluffy. We also picked up one of their handmade wreaths for the front door! I haven’t had a chance to take a good photo but I had to share this Instagram photo that I took.

Why do we choose real Christmas trees over faux?

– Trees are a renewable resource. Most Christmas tree farms plant 2 saplings in place of one cut tree. Faux trees eventually end up in landfills.

–  Christmas tree farms provide habitat for animals and give off oxygen that help clean our air.

-Supports local businesses. Most tree lots are run by local businesses or non-profit organizations. Both are worth supporting, especially around the holiday season.

-And of course I like the idea of a traditional Christmas. Real tree, putting it up, putting the lights on, decorating it, and sitting back to watch the glow and smell the scent of evergreen.

Some tips:

-Ask your lot to put your stand on for you or go to a lot that includes the stands.

-Also ask them if they offer disposal bags. That helps keep the mess at a minimum!

-Water your tree daily and invest in floral food. It’ll keep it fresh all season.

Some Christmas crafts I have coming up include making paper trees out of recycled magazines and snow covered pine cones using the ones that I collected from a recent trip to Big Bear Mountain!