Out at the farm where we've lived most of our lives, we had a huge deck to decorate for Christmas. We had whiskey barrel planters in 2 corners so I went to a thrift shop and got used artificial trees. I tied on some ornaments so they wouldn't blow away, tied the lights to the branches and wrapped the tinsel well around the branches. We had 2 gorgeous trees for practically nothing.
Then I asked my husband for an old tire. I bought some cheap green fabric, tore it into strips and wrapped it around and around the tire to make a wreath. After adding lights, just wrapping them around it also, and putting a HUGE red bow on top, we had a beautiful big wreath to hang on the deck. Voila! Everything looked so pretty! I'd have to dig to find pictures of it all now but it really turned out pretty.
I also made a Nativity out of dish soap bottles, weighting them with sand and draping them with fabric, etc. and set them up in the wishing well barbecue my husband had made. With a light from above, it was beautiful! Such fun it was, before we got older and lazier. Now we just have a few lights. But a little imagination went a long way back then!
P.S. Forgive me. I got so caught up in the wonderful thought of what you did that I forgot that it was in the PAST, so you said. Oh, well, perhaps someone ELSE can get inspired from your story and my suggestions? lol
HOORAY FOR YOU!!!! Sounds lovely and creative! Carry a shovel in your trunk, and two heavy plastic bags. Then, the next time you see wild smaller but thicker evergreen trees on the side of the country road, spray it for ticks and other harmful insects that might otherwise have hitched a ride home with you, let it dry fully, then dig it up and plant it inside the tubs with compost over some rocks or crushed bricks in the bottom. Water it once a month so you'll have REAL trees by next Christmas. Go back to the thrift store for a few more lights, add garland of popcorn/cranberries/small peanut butter and deer- corn balls rolled in bird seed, and quartered apple slices and ENJOY sharing/giving yourself, loved ones, AND the birds/squirrels a NATURAL Christmas during the day, glistening colors by night!!
That tire wreath makes me smile! I will pass it on. Believe it or not, as long as I've lived in Texas, I've NEVER heard of such a unique wreath. I'd add only a double row (wired with wrapping the ribbon or more treats around the tire) of pine cone "inner and outer" rings, for birds to fly in and out/perch on, along with sand in the bottom half of the tire wreath, with a heavy plastic bowl of water nestled down into it, for local animals to catch a drink, when not frozen, after the tree trimmings are eaten.
After they've cleaned the trimmings well, clean up their droppings, adding the droppings to some dried leaves and start your own compost bin/pile, keeping damp but not wet, adding all kitchen scraps except grease/wax/or bones, for "top dressing" the evergreens come Springtime. It will be all the fertilizer you'll need.
Who knows, you might enjoy bird-watching so much by then that you'll add a feeder ring to the bottom of each tree that you've had time to design?
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