Yesterday was a crazy, busy day, but a good one. Though I couldn’t fit three large boxes of Christmas ornaments into my SUV for this trip up to the Dollhouse, I decided to take your advice and purchase a tree just to enjoy the lights. This is where it landed, here in the otherwise empty living room. Please excuse the gaps, I just brought the tree into the house yesterday evening and wrestled it into its stand. It was the last one they had of this type, so it didn’t come in a box. I still haven’t finished fluffing it out to fill in the gaps. I need to do that today.
I’m not sure if I’ll ever find a tree whose shape I like as much as this GE Just Cut Canadian tree that I found in Home Depot several years back. It is the most beautiful artificial tree that I’ve ever seen.
Here are the stats for the GE tree above that I purchased a few years back.
And here are the stats for the tree I purchased yesterday. It claims to have even more lights and around 1,000 more branch tips. It is very full! It also has a ton of the “realistic looking branches. I’m very pleased with all full it is, nothing like the Balsam Hill tree nightmare I had a few years back. Argh. You’ll find this beautiful tree available online here: Ashton Balsam Fir Christmas Tree.
Again, I haven’t taken the time to fluff it out, but once I do that, especially around the top area, it should look great! It’s super full and does have a gazillion lights.
One tip to note about this tree, there are a ton of settings on the remote…the lights on this tree will do just about anything you can dream up. I prefer white lights that just stay on and do not blink. I do like color lights, too—so I love that it has that option, but for the majority of the time, I want the lights set to Steady WW. After I had the tree set up, I turned on the lights and chose Steady WW. Annoyingly, after about 2 minutes it began flashing again. It repeatedly did this every time I set it back to Steady WW. I saw others complaining about this in the reviews online, and I saw where the company replied explaining that there is a button somewhere near the power source/plug that can be pressed to put the tree in “Home” mode. Apparently, my tree was still in “Demo” mode where it repeatedly goes through all the various options available for the lights.
I looked and looked and I could not find a button anywhere on the plug or the tree. Once again, I stared at the remote trying to figure out how to get it into “Home” mode. Eventually, I turned it over and there it was—the correct instructions! So if you ever buy a Christmas tree and it won’t stay on the light setting that you have chosen, do a quick online search or look on the remote or in the booklet that came with the tree to see if it could be in DEMO mode, and not HOME mode. My tree didn’t come with an instruction booklet since it was the floor model, but thankfully it still had its remote. 
Again, you’ll find this tree I purchased for this year online here: Ashton Balsam Fir Christmas Tree.
Gingerbread House and Gingerbread Man Pillows: A few days ago I shared an update for my home office/studio. In that update, you may have noticed an adorable Gingerbread House pillow that I purchased this year.
I had a few questions about that pillow, I found it in HomeGoods this year. Here’s one that is available online and very similar to mine: Gingerbread House Pillow. Update: Here’s a pillow that’s exactly like mine: Gingerbread House. Also, there are quite a few more styles of Gingerbread House Pillows here: Gingerbread House Pillow.
Pottery Barn has a Gingerbread Man pillow this year that has super tempted me, but I found this one for less that I like even more! This cutie is available here: Gingerbread Man Pillow. Probably the best deal that I’ve seen online for these two pillows is here: Gingerbread House and Gingerbread Pillows, 2 of Each. That’s an awesome deal for four pillows!
I’m working on another “Gift Ideas” post that I hope to share this weekend. If you’re like me, you want to get the gift buying out of the way so you can relax and enjoy! Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
I noticed the darling gingerbread house in your previous post. Thanks for the shopping info – they’re just adorable! Looking forward to your gift ideas. Happy Saturday!
I too look forward to your gift ideas. I’ve been trying to find your post where you mentioned a clothing shaver. I need one. Please send me a name or link. Thanks for your time.
Unfortunately, the one I have doesn’t appear to be available now…you can see it here: https://amzn.to/3OLYi49 .
This one looks similar and has good reviews: https://amzn.to/4ikDHBH
Eloise, if you get that one, just make sure the sweater is on a hard, flat surface, like a table, when you use it.
This one also looks good and has good reviews: https://amzn.to/3D3sDbH
Last year no one wanted to help me put the ornaments on the tree, so we didn’t and I loved how the tree looked. It was so natural and beautiful. We’re going to do it again this year.
I wonder if your grandsons each claim one of the pillows when they visit.
I am curious about the slow glisten option; is that a subtle effect?
Beautiful tree. Hopefully, you got the ” No box. No instructions” discount. Getting closer to mantle decorating ? Cute pillows. We have been having a Gingerbread discussion in a different way. I only like a few cookies because I don’t like the butter, sugar, egg thing. Little Debbie has Gingerbread Soft Cookies and Gingerbread Men is no longer an acceptable term. For some reason they aren’t in my local store, but near friends. Kind of like Pepperidge Farm Snowball Citrus Cookies and my White Christmas icecream. (in January the splurge is over). Did you try the local Peppermint ice cream yet ?
Stay warm .
Nothing better than a tree with lots of lights! So pretty. My tree is older and some of the lights don’t work so I added extra strings. Then the other day it completely shut down. I tried again messing with the switch and the lights came back on. Now I’m afraid to change the switch. Mine does the light changing too, but I prefer all white steady also. The gingerbread pillows are so cute and they bring out the brown in the chair. That’s a pretty tree skirt too!
The gingerbread house and gingerbread man are adorable.
Such gorgeous real looking trees, love them both.
I must say I also prefer the older one you have from GE.
They look so natural and perfect full of tiny lights.
The gingerbread pillow is also so darn cute.
Ooooh, your tree is covered in lights…gorgeous!!! KUDOS!!! franki
Both trees are pretty but the GE tree is my favorite. Love that gingerbread pillow.
Love that you got a tree Susan, it is gorgeous! I also noticed that cute gingerbread house in the last post, it is adorable. All the pillows you linked to are adorable! Hugs, Brenda
Beautiful tree, Susan! And adorable pillows!
Dear Susan,
You are phenomenal! Love your new dollhouse
And the new move ! You are blessed to be so close to your son and his family! Don’t forget the Nativity!
I hope your Christmas is very beautiful with many blessings! ❤️ Ann
Thanks, Ann! I hope you are having a wonderful Christmas season, it’s going by way too fast!