O Christmas Tree

Hooray for the first year of a REAL Christmas tree for us!  In past years, we've celebrated with a tiny 4-ft artificial tree that was boosted up on boot shoeboxes and Fed Ex packages.  Ian and I always looked forward to the day when we would be in a permanent home with a live tree.

We purchased the tree not long after Thanksgiving at our local farmer's market.  It was a very fun day -- chatting with the mountainman who sold it to us, stopping at other vendors to buy apple cider, tangerines, and kale. 

The night we decorated it was also our 6 month anniversary - 11/28.  Ian had a hot mug of apple cider and I had a glass of champagne with a little splash of cider in it!

After it was completely decorated, we stepped back to admire it.  The first thing Ian said was, "Our tree is flamboyant." 

My response?  "Mission accomplished."

I made the gold glittery bow for the top using my Bowdabra.  I'm honestly in love with that thing. 

I know there are plenty of really elegant and classy "Our 1st Christmas" ornaments out there, but these weird gingerbread lovebirds were the perfect kitschy addition to our tree.

Following in the footsteps of my grandmother, I love to have birds on my tree.  Especially the kind with large, fussy, feather tails.  Now, Nana had me beat: she actually had a noise machine hidden in her tree that made bird noises.  Seriously.  I can't make that up, people.

During my wreath party earlier this month, my friend Kim made me this ornament, and I just love it.  The ornament is filled with purple and green moss and some snowflakes.  Twine holds it on our tree. 

A glittery leopard print makes me happy.

This sweet gold metal pinecone came from one of Charlotte's best gift shops, Paper Skyscraper.

One of my mercury glass ornaments -- I can't get enough!

A shadowbox ornament made to look vintage.

Love this opalescent starfish ornament that I got at a friend's gift swap a few years ago.

My glass mermaid is a new favorite -- I purchased her last year at the best Christmas shop in the world located in the sweet coastal town of Southport, NC.  If you want to see me standing smack dab in the middle of the shop's killer candy aisle, hop over to this post.

I took classical ballet until I was 16 and danced in many performances of The Nutcracker.  This little guy is a new addition to my tree this year and takes me back to the days of the heavy red curtains, tight buns, false eyelashes, and performance butterflies in my stomach.

Glittery birdcage ... standard.

Yellow is my favorite color, so of course I have to have a few ornaments in this sunshiny shade.

My Anthropologie fish.

And the presents all wrapped under the tree! 

Know which ones I'm most excited about?

THESE!