Surprise! Never be caught unprepared for Christmas guests again!

Has this ever happened to you? You decided this was going to a quiet Christmas. You bought the obligatory gifts, but since you were going on vacation over the holiday break, you opted not to go through the fanfare of buying a tree, wreath or garland, only to have it dried up upon your return. But then you get the phone call…your favorite niece is flying in from the West Coast with her new beau, and would LOVE to stop by and see her "favorite Aunt" the evening before you are supposed to head to Cabo. What do you do? You don't want to appear to be a Scrooge, but it really makes NO sense to go all out buying fresh greenery for one evening of entertainment. There IS an answer.

First, don't panic! Pause and remember the beautiful Christmas tree you purchased last Christmas. This year you don't have to spend time running out into the cold to find your perfect tree. You still have it! You go down into the basement or up into the attic and lo and behold - your white Christmas tree
is waiting for you.

It's still the same glorious tree you felt in love with last year; charming, vibrant, and seems so life like. You are struck by a sense of security that your marvelous artificial Christmas tree will be with you year after year. So heart-warming!

Now unpack! Because you have carefully kept your tree last year, you are assured that it will still look beautiful this year. Set up the base, fluff the tree, straighten the branches, and hang those precious decorations your niece sent last Christmas. Then effortlessly add the lights or, if you have a pre-lit Christmas tree
, just turn it on. No fuss, no mess!

The fun doesn't stop there! Your beautifully decorated artificial Christmas tree
is symmetrical and perfectly realistic. Your niece's new beau will be deceived of its authenticity. Don't tell until he asks! And if your niece finds out, happily share the secret with her, maybe its time to make artificial trees part of your family-treasured Christmas traditions.

When that much awaited evening comes, you are sure to feel the warmth of a very Merry Christmas as you, your niece and her beau bask around the glory of your well-decorated artificial Christmas tree. Reminisce joyful family traditions you shared together.

As you look forward for a Christmas holiday treat to Cabo, your spirit is high. Your Christmas family meeting wouldn't feel right without your Christmas tree. If this kind of Christmas situation happens again, you can easily deal with it because you made a right decision to buy an artificial Christmas tree. It's going to be part of you Christmas after Christmas. It's your personal pride, your Christmas secret to happiness, and it's beautiful.


Karen Louis works on artificial christmas trees at the Balsam Hill - Christmas Tree Company. She recently helped design a pre-lit artificial Christmas tree that comes ready to light up a room at the touch of a button.