Time to take the Tree Down

[COWBOYSURVIVAL]

Today, I have the arduous task of taking down the tree. Mine will goto the back of my property with last years and all of the other trimmings to create a sort of natural barrier. What will you do with yours?

[Rick]

Put it back in the box, tape the box shut and put it back in the attic.

[COWBOYSURVIVAL]

Put it back in the box, tape the box shut and put it back in the attic.

Today I wish that was the case, this is going to be a big mess. But, it sure was pretty while it lasted, my gut tells me it came in easier than it will go out, seems it splayed out alot larger than it was.

[Rick]

We stopped using a real tree years ago. If those things get dry they go up like a blow torch. That's not something I want to have happen in my house. Then there is the mess with the needles.

[el-amigo]

I'm not using a real tree thus I'll put it back to its box and put the box back in the attic.

[COWBOYSURVIVAL]

We stopped using a real tree years ago. If those things get dry they go up like a blow torch. That's not something I want to have happen in my house. Then there is the mess with the needles.

I'll have to agree with you! This is probably the last year, looks like I need to hit the after christmas tree sales.

[Aurelius95]

We bought an artificial tree on closeout after Christmas and this was the first year we used it. I like it a lot. However, when we bought real trees, I always enjoyed lighting them in the burn pile. Rick's right, they go up like a torch. Better to do it outside than in the living room, eh?

[COWBOYSURVIVAL]

We bought an artificial tree on closeout after Christmas and this was the first year we used it. I like it a lot. However, when we bought real trees, I always enjoyed lighting them in the burn pile. Rick's right, they go up like a torch. Better to do it outside than in the living room, eh?

I guess the idea about limbing it up and sticking it in the fieplace is a bad idea!

[Old GI]

Spend Christmas with the kids. It's their problem.

[Rick]

Now that right there is funny. (writing note for next year).

[COWBOYSURVIVAL]

I got a long way to go before I can say that!

[Winnie]

And it only works for female children or married male child. Winnie jnr's idea of decorations is Mistletoe tucked in his zipper.........A mother really doesn't need to know these things

[Rick]

Muhahahahahahahahahaha. That's sick. Muhahahahahahahahaha.

[Sparky93]

and it only works for female children or married male child. Winnie jnr's idea of decorations is mistletoe tucked in his zipper.........a mother really doesn't need to know these things

lmao!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[crashdive123]

Our trees (2) will go back on the shelf in the closet. They are about 18" tall so I don't think they should give me too much trouble, but in the spirit of the F.A.R.T. I'll probably take a nap first.

[Rick]

And after. You'll have to recharge your batteries.

[mouse111111]

Am I the only one using real trees?

I didn't burn it, seems like a waste since I cut it down on my land. I usually drag them down to the pond and put them in the corner, you just have to make sure you don't cast over there.

[Sparky93]

Am I the only one using real trees?

I didn't burn it, seems like a waste since I cut it down on my land. I usually drag them down to the pond and put them in the corner, you just have to make sure you don't cast over there.

Pine tree's make great structure for bait fish to feed the bass.....

[hunter63]

Been thru the whole circle, from real tree to bad fake, to foil, to real tree, to real tree in a pot to plant outside (died) to fake, again.

One year we just put a bag over it still decorated and put it in the basement....to be put right back up the following year.

Mostly we haven't been here over Christmas, last 5-6 years, didn't want to leave a dry tree inside for a couple of months with no one here.

I don't believe we will ever have a real one again, as some one thinks they are made of gold, it seems.......Besides nothing says Christmas like killing a perfectly good tree to make things merry?.....besides the poor ugly trees that don't get picked....into the shreader....Ho, Ho, Ho.....

[natertot]

Speaking of putting away Christmas stuff, does anyone have a good way of storing Christmas lights? I hate how every year, I drag them out and they are a mess and snag on its own bulbs.

[Rick]

How about using these guys. You can get them at Lowes or Home Depot.

http://www.homedepot.com/catalog/productImages/300/0f/0f28aa37-0c19-424a-888f-5a1d83337f28_300.jpg

[COWBOYSURVIVAL]

I have sunk quite a few in ponds seeking to catch Black Crappie...That all ended when I caught the world record and put it on the wall.....any takers? It is still hangin' right here......18 1/2" measure yours......

[hunter63]

I have sunk quite a few in ponds seeking to catch Black Crappie...That all ended when I caught the world record and put it on the wall.....any takers? It is still hangin' right here......18 1/2" measure yours......

Lights?....Yeah thats the ticket, shock those babies......

[COWBOYSURVIVAL]

Lights?....Yeah thats the ticket, shock those babies......

No lights...just a medium minnow and a cork.

[crashdive123]

So ----- I guess the arduous task of taking down the tree took it's toll on you. Now you want to go fishing.

[COWBOYSURVIVAL]

I got the half of the tree that remained outside hauled off...then got side tracked grilling ribs and making a rocket stove....maybe tomorrow.

[Rick]

Why am I getting the feeling that the next episode of Ax Men is going to be filmed INSIDE CS's house?

[mouse111111]

CS you got me beat. I have a white crappie on the wall thats 16 inches.

[hunter63]

Yes, but mine sings.......
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WC6EbRQmJ0

[JPGreco]

I wouldn't go buy some crappy plastic hanger for lights. Buy fat dowel and just notch the end of it. Slip the cord by the plug in the notch and start wrapping.

[Winnie]

Speaking of putting away Christmas stuff, does anyone have a good way of storing Christmas lights? I hate how every year, I drag them out and they are a mess and snag on its own bulbs.

I wrap mine around a piece of stiff card. Keeps them knot free AND you can test them before they go on the tree, easier to find the offending dud.

[Winnie]

To answer the OP I have an Artificial tree these days. A very expensive trip to the vet for the removal of a Pine Needle from Bobcat tipped the balance.

[Rick]

(sniff) He called my plastic hanger crappy. (wipes tear)

[crashdive123]

Fear not Rick. He really meant crappie. He was thinking of the fish CS caught.

[Aurelius95]

I wrap the lights around a flattened cardboard box. I believe it was the box to my son's Christmas present a few years ago. I can get several strands around it, and it packs nicely.

[hunter63]

I just throw mine in a box, why spoil the fun?

Funny thing, after 30+ years of making wire rope, if there is one thing I do know how to do well, is untangle things....LOl, lights are childs play.......

[Rick]

Ah for the good old days when lights were wired in series. Nope, not that one. Not that one. Uh uh. Nope. Dang it! Which one of these are out? God help you if two were bad.

[Beans]

Spend Christmas with the kids. It's their problem.

How right your are! Did it again this year, again.

[hunter63]

Ah for the good old days when lights were wired in series. Nope, not that one. Not that one. Uh uh. Nope. Dang it! Which one of these are out? God help you if two were bad.

Here's one for ya......white plastic tree for the yard, light spiral around from bottom to top, inside a plastic hose.......one spot in the middle are about 12 lights out, lights lite above, and below.....just trying to pi$$ me off....nope not gonna bite, not gonna bite....gonna stay this way till DW says something then will disappear off the face of the earth.....

[Rick]

My wife brought some goofy thing home that was a "Christmas tree". Spiraled wire with lights that were supposed to follow the wire but did a much better job of following gravity.

"What the heck is that?"
"It's a Christmas tree."
"Really. Someone forgot to water it. All the needles fell off."
"You're not funny."

I stop when I get that response. I'm not as stupid as I look.

[hunter63]

Yeah I hear ya, i know that tone.......

"Honey someone stole the tree with the lights out...."
"No shut!....well, that's a mystery, alright...to bad....you know it didn't have all the lights working and you can get a new one after Christmas for like....a buck?.....right?"

[COWBOYSURVIVAL]

Well I hit Kmart this morning to return the comforter I bought my daughter that was the wrong size. Heard the customer service clerk tell someone on the phone they had no tree's left to sell. Cowboy peered over at the display and it was still there. I asked "did I hear you correctly, you are out of trees?" she replied yes sir, just the display models left. The grand puba of Christmas trees was in full view and fully decorated. "Ma'm can I speak to the manager?". She paged her, well she (the Manager) had just taken a display model down for someone and they didn't buy it. I said "oh no ma'm I mean to take that big one down and pay for it". She gasped "well, I don't have anyone hear to take it down". I replied "How much" she said 50% and then 30% since it is the display and I'll throw in the decorations. $400 dollar tree $200 decorations yep got it all for a little more than $100 bucks. SCORE!

[Sparky93]

Well I hit Kmart this morning to return the comforter I bought my daughter that was the wrong size. Heard the customer service clerk tell someone on the phone they had no tree's left to sell. Cowboy peered over at the display and it was still there. I asked "did I hear you correctly, you are out of trees?" she replied yes sir, just the display models left. The grand puba of Christmas trees was in full view and fully decorated. "Ma'm can I speak to the manager?". She paged her, well she (the Manager) had just taken a display model down for someone and they didn't buy it. I said "oh no ma'm I mean to take that big one down and pay for it". She gasped "well, I don't have anyone hear to take it down". I replied "How much" she said 50% and then 30% since it is the display and I'll throw in the decorations. $400 dollar tree $200 decorations yep got it all for a little more than $100 bucks. SCORE!

When I read this story I heard this....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=ueurK6k_a2E

[COWBOYSURVIVAL]

Well yeah something like that.......The tree and decorations nearly filled my truck bed. I got home and undecorated the real tree, putting the "old" decorations in the box with the new ones...(on top! No one saw the new ones but me). Then I got the tarp I cover my welding machine with and fell the real tree in the livingroom and drug it out the door with a few good yanks....Now, well I sat down and made another pot of coffee...whew! Now if can muster the energy to haul the new tree in (3 boxes) they didn't have the original box) and get it stowed away before the girls get home it will be my little secret.

[Sparky93]

Well yeah something like that.......The tree and decorations nearly filled my truck bed. I got home and undecorated the real tree, putting the "old" decorations in the box with the new ones...(on top! No one saw the new ones but me). Then I got the tarp I cover my welding machine with and fell the real tree in the livingroom and drug it out the door with a few good yanks....Now, well I sat down and made another pot of coffee...whew! Now if can muster the energy to haul the new tree in (3 boxes) they didn't have the original box) and get it stowed away before the girls get home it will be my little secret.

Don't forget she has an account now....

[tipacanoe]

We still use a real tree, put it up 2 weeks before Christmas, take it down a day or two after. I am very religious about keeping it watered. There are far fewer tree farms here now vs. 10 years ago, found a real nice farm this year, trees $25 any height and well shaped, and a very nice young man running the operation for his parents. I enjoy the fragrance that only comes from a balsam fir.

[2dumb2kwit]

And it only works for female children or married male child. Winnie jnr's idea of decorations is Mistletoe tucked in his zipper.........A mother really doesn't need to know these things

Well whatdaya know....I thought that was a redneck thing. LOL

[hunter63]

Spent two summers trimming Christmas trees in plantations as a young man.....I don't care if i ever have a real tree any longer.....permanently scarred.

Mile squares, row after row, after row, they were endless......$1.00 an hour, w/a .$25 cent bonus per hour if you made the whole season....got to hate pine trees after a while....row after row, after row.......

[Sparky93]

Well whatdaya know....I thought that was a redneck thing. LOL
Is there such thing as a British redneck?

[COWBOYSURVIVAL]

Don't forget she has an account now....

I didn't...lucky for me she would still rather be outside playing.

[Rick]

You ain't foolin' us. You went to Target because of the baby feeding demonstrations. I know you. It was pretty cool till they threw me out.

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/abc-blogs/breastfeeding-target-moms-stage-national-demonstration-192601671.html

[hunter63]

Outside stuff all down and stowed for another year!
More fun to do it in a blizzard at 10 degrees,...oh well.

Thought occurs to me how wasteful all these lights are....but hey, who am I to question......

[Winnie]

Is there such thing as a British redneck?

There is now....... I even say dang! in public! (and I understand 2Dumb better than a lot of those Yankee fellah's)

[crashdive123]

There is now....... I even say dang! in public! (and I understand 2Dumb better than a lot of those Yankee fellah's)

When you go up to a fellow, and are holding a beer and say "Hey watch this....chap" I'm gonna start worrying.

[Winnie]

I was a lady until I started hanging out here, then before I knew it I.F.A.R.T.E.D and was nearly put in charge of the sneaky F.A.R.Ts. That was a lucky escape, I can tell you.

[Rick]

The next time you're at morning tea ask the hostess if she has grits. That should shake them up. And if you can suck on a tooth after a meal or walk around with a toothpick whether you need it or not then you've crossed over to the colonist side.