2013 Christmas Tree Inspiration-- part one: Bears in the Woods

With the harvest mostly over, the pumpkin vines mouldy in the garden, the colorful leaves stripped from the trees by torrential rains and freezing winds, the blue skies of October changed to overcast and darkening, it was time to think about brightening up the days-- time for my yearly pilgrimage to the hardware store's Christmas tree display.

I know these tree displays are for the purpose of selling ornaments, and most people's trees at home wouldn't be so chock-full of stuff,  but I like to get new ideas for my tree from these store displays. They are so interesting-- at every angle there is more to look at. If I was a child and there were trees like this actually at home, I would spend hours looking at all the ornaments!

Picking out which ornament I want for Christmas is fun to think about, too!

I had the privilege to meet the fellow who was in charge of Christmas this year-- that is, Christmas at the hardware store. He took me around and showed me things about each tree, and told me their names, which I have mostly forgotten as I sit down to post about it.  I'm calling this tree "Bears in the Woods" but I think it isn't far from the intent of the original name.

Where we live, the forest theme is a popular one. Hunting, fishing, hiking, skiing, are themes that show up in several trees at this store.

Besides bears of all shapes, sizes, and attitudes, this tree had lots of wooden ornaments on it, and they were mostly flat. Snow shoes in different colors, skis of different sizes, pine trees, animals and stars in unfinished wood, and signs galore. Here are some close-ups of some of the ornaments.

I like the little brush-animals.

  I liked this sparkly leaf. Hmm, I wonder how I could make one of my own from those leaves in the front yard...

The flat metal bell-holders were made in shapes of trees, moose, and bear, and were glittered. Having something long on the tree gave it extra interest. 

 The tree topper is a pair of snow shoes.  The fellow in charge showed me that the tree toppers were simply wired on to the tree. One tree had a baseball bat on top-- a real one-- and it was held on by thin wire. I wonder what unexpected objects around the house could be wired on for tree toppers? 

 The ribbon is "pinched" by the fake tree boughs-- they are wire, after all, and can be used to hold signs (as in previous photo)  and to keep the ribbon in place. The fellow told me that it makes the ribbon look a bit better, not so flat.

The other side of the tree.

This sleigh was next to the tree-- you can see the cute skis and snow shoes on its sides. 

I like all the little signs. "Be cheerful and pass it on."