China Tree

So here is our Christmas tree... the first real tree we've had in a dozen years! When we were cleaning out before we moved, I threw away our old artificial tree. It's best days had long since passed. I wasn't sure we would be able to find any type of tree here, though, so I brought along three little skinny artificial trees I had used on our hearth at our old house. They are now set up in our foyer, because at the Concordia Christmas bazaar the weekend before last, we were able to order a live, potted tree. It is not a variety I have seen in the US, with very prickly needles but light, flimsy branches. It has a bit of a sparse, Charlie Brown tree look to it, but we are very pleased to have it! I had brought a small selection of our ornaments with us, and I found tree lights at Walmart a couple of weeks ago. Never mind that the lights are three-way blinking colored lights, which in the past would have been my last choice. Somehow that doesn't matter so much here. The kitties are having a ball with the tree, batting at lights and dangling ornaments. They must have had fun early this morning, because when I came into the living room later, there was quite a shower of needles on the floor under the tree. Hopefully the tree can make it a couple more weeks, until we leave for the US!