This is The KingofHearts dragging our Christmas tree back to the car a few weeks ago. We went to our favorite place to cut our own tree again this year. Only it was colder than a witch's... elbow... that day and we spent all of five minutes picking it out.

"Which one do you like?"

"How about that one?"

"Do you like that one better?"

"Who cares, just get a tree and let's go."

"Quick take a picture."

"No time for that; just cut it down and get back in the car - I'll meet you there." *heads back to the car with children*

It seemed a little anti-climactic to drive all the way to West Virginia for a tree that we took two minutes choosing, two minutes cutting down and then ran back to the warmth of the car, but it ended up being one of the nicest looking trees we've ever had once we got it in the house. Maybe we should employ that method every year.

I realize that these giant public trees have to be over the top, but I don't understand why every year the National Christmas tree looks like such a pathetic mess. OK, I get that it's being decorated to look best at nighttime (although it's not that much better at night), but even so, don't you think they could put just a little more effort forth than covering the entire thing with a web of lights and obscuring any natural tree shape that ever existed? It might as well be an aluminum cone.


This tree at the National Harbor, on the other hand, is almost as large, looks great at night AND during the day. Sure, it's a little too perfect... but it kinda sorta looks like... you know... a tree... with branches and decorations instead of captured dejected spirit of a tree wearing a straight jacket.


Ours is a damn sight smaller, but I like it better than both of them. First of all, it looks like it's burning from the inside out.


Do you like our tree topper/ceiling fan? Personally, I think it's rather fetching. It's like a giant star. Maybe next year I'll cover it with aluminum foil and string lights on the blades.

Playing Fun With Long Exposures.