I have Scandinavian heritage. So my family traditionally celebrates on Christmas eve. This is the first time we’ve had a tree in the new house, and it showed.
Our second tradition is that we use a live tree. (It follows from the third tradition. We’ll come to that soon.) Since there was a large wind storm, a lot of trees blew down in the parks around here. So my parents helped themselves to one. So we’ve got a huge tree. It’s only the top of the one that fell, but it is the tallest we’ve ever had. Fortunately, this place has a vaulted ceiling, and could probably accommodate an even larger one. Unfortunately it is a vindictive tree. It is oozing sap. The sticky kind that soap and water can’t take off.
Our third tradition is that we use candles on the tree. No electric lights, but honest candles. Fire hazard? Of course, but we are careful. A bucket of water is kept close at hand, and it has never been needed. However, the new house is more particular than we are used to. The fire alarms on the second floor started going off every ten minutes. They are not battery operated, and are too high off the ground to reach, so there was no way to turn them off. We eventually found that having the ceiling fans going could keep them off. But my dog is now practically hiding under a bed. He doesn’t trust the quacking duck chew toy I gave him anymore. He blames it for the screeching.