He's So Retro or Tree Trimming 2011

Having Hubs home has been lots of fun. One cool thing we have in common is we like to go wander the really big antique places.  

And he likes some pretty cool retro stuff.

This year we decided we didn't want to put up the full blown Christmas tree and lights as we really hope to be finding a job and moving as quickly as possible.  And who needs the extra work of tearing down Christmas? Especially when mom is light crazy on the tree and it takes a full day to put up the lights and a full day to take down the lights.

Just the lights.

So we had decided to find a tabletop tree to use on an old end table we are getting rid of. The presents will fit underneath the table nicely.  Because we also told the girls that this will be a very small Christmas.  Like 3 gifts apiece.  Hey - it was good enough for Jesus. 

Anyways.

While wandering around look for these cool retro vases we saw last summer and a light wheel that Hubs liked and now thought he might like to buy.... (yes we are those crazy people that have to think about purchases - drives sales people crazy)....we kept running across these retro 50's Aluminum Christmas Trees and their color wheels.  

She the light thingy we saw happened to be a color wheel.  So we flagged down a person at one of the places and they explained it to us.  Never heard of it before.  And they were selling the sets for like $130.  

So we did what we always do....

We put the stuff back and went home and did internet and Ebay research.  

And we decided that we had to have one.

So armed with more info we went back another time.  We searched three large places (like 450 booths in them) and found our deals.  And walked out of the places with both pieces (not as a set)- at a whole lot less than $130. The tree is a 3 foot that sits on the table.  Perfect.  

So tree trimming night we got the boxes out and did our family tradition.  Lots of cheese and crackers and snacks and eggnog and slush.  Total calorie fest -- but the kids won't let this tradition pass. They look forward to it all year. That and the junk fest we call New Years Eve are the family favorites.

 Even the dogs get in on the ordeal.  Complete with ugly Christmas sweater provided by grandma.

And it was a fairly short night compared to normal as we didn't put ornaments on the tree yet.

Cause we want something that will reflect the cool color wheel good.

I'm trying to find some of the 50's Sputnik satellite type ornaments to hang on it -- but they are not cheap!

And yes we did find Hubs funky vases during this whole search.

He's so retro.