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[Zhills]

I know it's trivial, but I was so looking forward to a new tree, all like the left side of the picture.  Had my hopes up for something new and exciting for Christmas!

Fortunately, I kept my other tree!

[Bird mama]

@Zhills   I understand and appreciate your disappointment.

[Katcat1]

@Zhills  I love your tree with the large acorns.  Last year I purchased a very small table top tree from Crate & Barrel.  It is white frosted on the tips but no acorns.   I am downsizing and will be 70 this month.

[AuntG]

@Zhills I guess we shouldn't dismiss your disappointment -although it didn't seem that bad to me. In fact, I came close to ordering the 7 foot one from Valerie. However, I must congratulate @homedecor1 on the great job she did with her Charlie Brown tree. Keep plugging away!

[aroc3435]

@Zhills   I feel for you.  Here are a couple of ideas that have helped me when setting up a new artificial tree.  First, get a clean pair of gardening gloves (the dollar stores have them) so that while you are "fluffing" and futzing with the tree your hands don't get pricked by the branches.  Take your time and take breaks.

Stand back and look, then zoom in on the problem spots and adjust.

When you trim the tree, again, take breaks and stand back and get a perspective.  Just as in drawing and painting class step back every so often so you can really "see" what you are doing and don't overwork it by being hypercritical.  The lights, the ornaments, the garlands, ribbons, icicles, will all combine to ultimately make it beautiful.

Lastly, when you put your tree away for next year DO NOT put it back in the box in which it was shipped.  Instead buy a tree bag for storing it.  It will be less trouble next year and--bonus--your prelit tree lights are likely to last longer, and your branches won't be so scrunched up or twisted again.

Hope some of this will be helpful. 

If you are lucky enough to have a walk in closet or something similar (basement area? storage shed?) in which to store it fully assembled, minus the ornaments, so much the better.

When I got married in 1975 the lovely senior citizen couple that lived in the apartment unit below us covered their fully decorated tree with a couple of soft bed sheets and put it in the closet in their guest bedroom.  If they bought new ornaments it was easy to add them.  I considered that a stroke of genius and told them so.  And back then there was no prelit and the worst part of the tree was the stringing of lights, remember?

[jellyBEAN]

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@Mz iMac wrote:

Charlie Brown tree....

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I'm not sure who's tree wins the sad sack prize for sorriest Christmas tree.  This one is pretty sad, yet has a certain charm.  @Leggett28 certainly comes in close with the bonus of a blue kleenex pretending to be a tree skirt.  Thanks for the chuckles. 

[Leggett28]

@jellyBEAN  actually that’s not a Kleenex, it’s a cloth that came with the tree.

[jellyBEAN]

@Leggett28I am almost in tears laughing at that - sorry - I mean no disrespect - but that is just plain funny. 

[aroc3435]

@jellyBEAN @Leggett28   I think that blue cloth is supposed to be  the blanket that Linus always carried around with him . . . and sacrificed for the tree.

[Zhills]

@aroc3435   Thanks for you info.  The gloves sound like a great idea.  Unfortunately, the branches were smashed, then frosted (silver paint) and just won't spread out.  I've tried...and tried!  When I sent the tree back last year, I had my hopes up for the whole tree looking like the picture and got really excited to open it!  Excitement didn't last long!  Not a big deal, just a big disappointment for me.  I don't get excited over too much these days!