i call it my first Christmas tree because it's the first i bought, the first in a place all my own, the first for which i picked out the decorations, the first Christmas all my own.

it's a beautiful, live California blue spruce. i paid a small fortune for it but i just couldn't bring myself to cut down a tree for a couple months of enjoyment. it just seems so wasteful. besides, if i work it out right, i may be able to visit my tree in the park i donate it to. maybe my grandkids will sit around its sizeable base and listen to me tell stories of my first Christmas as a grown-up.

ok, that's just plain sappy.

but it is a beautiful tree. i dote on it like a child or a loved pet. i bought these amazingly cool lights called "pearl lights" that give off a wonderful glow. add in a couple boxes of mixed colored balls and you have yourself a simple little Christmas tree.