Christmas Tree Decor: What do you prefer?

[Kathryn Lacey]

As many of you know, I'm going to be spending this year's Christmas with Misery. He bought us a little, artificial tree, and we're going to decorate it when I get there. We've pretty much agreed that we want a tree that's more organized in it's prettiness rather than a homey one with a mish-mash of decorations that don't match each other. I grew up with a mish-mash tree because family trees tend to be that way. Since living with my grandmother, I've learned that I prefer trees that are uniform and lovely like something from a magazine rather than the accumulation of generations.

Her tree is artificial and green with white lights, and we decorate it with white, glittery snow flakes, silk red poinsettias, and white turtle doves with an angel on top. Ever since I was little, it's always been an angel because everyone in my family prefers them over stars, including me. ((Hopefully we'll get a picture of the tree fully decorated when I get there, so I can post it here. If my grandma sets hers up this year, I'll try to get a picture of that, too, when I get home.))

Even though Misery and I can agree on having matching ornaments, he and I disagree on what decoration should top the tree. I believe that an angel is better while he prefers the star. Well, an angel is more feminine while a star is more masculine, so it's understandable.

Either way, both toppers represent a religion I don't follow ((as he kindly pointed out to me during our discussion)). If anything, my religious beliefs follow paganism more closely than Christianity, but I don't really align myself with any specific religions.

I don't know the origins of each topper. I only know that the star probably represents the star that led the three Wise Men to the manger where Jesus was born. All of the angel toppers I see are females, so I have no idea if the angel is supposed to be symbolic of any specific angels in the Bible. I just think angels a lot prettier.

What about you guys? Do you prefer angels or stars? ((To be fair, I found the prettiest pictures of each topper that I could on Google Images. I still thing the angel surpasses the star in aesthetic appeal.))

Do you prefer homey, family trees or organized, matching-ornamented/coloured ones?

[Misery]

This reminds me of a story I heard once:

---

It was late one Christmas Eve, and Santa wanted to die. Half of his elf workforce was out with the flu, so the entire toy making process had gotten horrifically behind schedule. In addition, Mrs. Claus happened to be having her monthly visitor, had made him sleep out on the couch the past two nights, and was whining about how after this many centuries he'd forgotten how to 'keep the magic alive'. What made things worse was Donner and Blitzen, the reindeer closest to the sleigh had eaten some bad mexican food last night, and not only did they have gas, but he wasn't sure if he wasn't going to wind up with reindeer mess flying in his face later that night. To top it all off the whole place wasn't even fully decorated.

"Santa!" A little voice said as he was trying to scrounge through the cupboards for some pepto bismol for the reindeer. "Hey! Santa!"

"I'm busy..." Santa said, glancing behind him to see a little angel flapping it's wings to hover beside him.

"But Santa, Santa, We still haven't put up the Christmas Tree anywhere Santa..." The little angel said, as it repeatedly tapped him on the shoulder.

"I said I'm f-in busy!" Santa snarled at the angel and tried to swat at it, but it deftly ducked under his arm.

"Santa, Santa, come on Santa, where should it go Santa? Saaaanta? Where do you want me to stick it?" the little angel said.

And thus, the tradition of the angel on top of the Christmas Tree was born.

---

Seriously though, my fellow Star supporters, come out and show me your love for how much better it is to have a star up on top of a tree instead of some creepy little cupie doll with wings that stares at you as if to ask why you've skewered it on a Christmas tree. Especially when certain atheists don't even believe in angels anyway!!

In addition, as the song goes:

"Hang a shining STAR upon the highest bough!!"

Star. 'Nuff said.

[Kathryn Lacey]

hahahah That story is all the more reason for us to have an angel. XD

Where the hell did you hear that anyway? I wouldn't be surprised if you just made it up.

[Stion Gyas]

Hard question. We alternate the topper every year. This year is our star year, I believe. It quells arguments. Personally, I prefer the star, but I'm a simple guy when it comes to aesthetics. Angels are too... complicated in appearance for my taste. Though, I can't explain it.

As for homey-ness or organization, I prefer homey trees. I can, however, understand your taste for organized trees. They are beautiful in their own way, but, to me they seem artificial.

EDIT: Excellent story.

[Kathryn Lacey]

Alternating the topper is actually a really great idea. I wonder if I can convince Misery to go with an angel for this first year. XD

[Misery]

She'll probably just use evil woman trickery to win anyway = \

[Stion Gyas]

All is fair in love and war. ;o

Yeah, it helps resolve one of thousands of holiday conflicts. Anything to help with the cheer.

[Kathryn Lacey]

What kind of woman would I be if I didn't use my genetic talents and endowments to get my way? Oh... That's right... I would be a man.

Yeah. I think the only way I'll be okay with a star for this first year is if there aren't any pretty angels. I don't want an ugly angel... The star will have to be pretty, too, though. I don't want one that looks like a five year old made it. I'd rather have an ugly angel than a stupid looking star.

[Stion Gyas]

What kind of woman would I be if I didn't use my genetic talents and endowments to get my way? Oh... That's right... I would be a man.

Yeah. I think the only way I'll be okay with a star for this first year is if there aren't any pretty angels. I don't want an ugly angel... The star will have to be pretty, too, though. I don't want one that looks like a five year old made it. I'd rather have an ugly angel than a stupid looking star.

Oddly, it's quite difficult to find a good-looking version of either. Perhaps it's just me, but I have a very hard time finding anything that looks good. Most of the angels I've seen look like twelve year-old boys dressed in robes and flowing blonde hair. Most of the stars are also silly-looking.

[Misery]

Okay, point, Stion. If we can find an Angel with a badass flaming sword that looks as if it's going to lob off someone's head, I might consider an angel...

[Stion Gyas]

Okay, point, Stion. If we can find an Angel with a badass flaming sword that looks as if it's going to lob off someone's head, I might consider an angel...

I would top my tree with that. Buffy the Vampire Slayer angel?

[Misery]

Haha, I don't really know how you'd make him distinctive from a Ken doll in a trench coat... *is going to get shit for this one, I can tell*

[Loki]

I've always preferred the star, it's a staple for a Christmas tree topper in my mind. My parents actually have two separate trees every year. A smaller 8' one upstairs that is decorated with the ornaments from my youth and a larger 16' one in the great room that is decorated more elegantly. I'll most likely post pictures whenever I go home and construct them with my dad.

[Misery]

Sweet, Loki. =)

[Gadreille]

I usually prefer a live, mismatched tree, with a squirrel on top.

Not just any squirrel though, THE squirrel. The Christmas squirrel to be exact.

The Christmas Squirrel chooses the perfect christmas tree. If the squirrel is not on the tree, then it is not the right one. How that 'ol squirrel knows where we are, regardless of time of day or tree lot of choice, I will never know....

Choosing between star and angel...I guess I choose neither. We have nothing atop our tree this year, but maybe next year we will get an abominable snowman to put on top.

[The Melancholy Spirit]

I personally prefer for the top of the tree to be bare, myself.

Though, my vote is for a star. If only because Misery made me laugh with his Mario Bros comment elsewhere in reference to this...

[Kathryn Lacey]

Hey! Melancholy, you're not supposed to vote for something just because you were made to laugh! ^;_;^ You're making it really difficult for me to convince him to get an angel. :: sniffles ::

[Fate Flyer]

lol That was a pretty funny story, Misery.

My family used to put an angel atop the Christmas tree when I was really young, like a small child, but somehow we did away with that and started using a star. We've been using a star ever since. (However, my parents have decided not to put up a Christmas tree this year, simply because they don't have time, both working long days, and since my brother and I are grown, it's not such a big deal.)

I always looked at the angel as more of a religious icon, though I suppose it's true that the star represents the star of Bethlehem. I suppose I just didn't look at it that way as much, which led me to preferring the star topper more. I really don't care much either way though, to be honest. Axiom and I are kind of scrooges around the holidays.

[The Melancholy Spirit]

I can't? Well... I'll still go with the star because I find it more appealing. ^^

Though, as I said I prefer nothing. Personally I'm more into a relaxed, casual look for the tree since I prefer to 'celebrate' (in my own way) Yule rather than Christmas and much prefer the old Germanic and Norse traditions and what the symbolism of lights (originally candles) and ornaments (originally apples) meant... as well as the symbolism of the tree itself.

In many ways I’m a scrooge myself since I find the way the holidays are celebrated to be annoying, shallow, materialistic, and a tool for mass consumerism… unfortunately. Yet again I digress… haha

[Hisoka]

The angel without question. Why because my entire family prefers the star and since I am the one stuck with footing the bill for so many of the Christmas related activities I demand the Angel on top of the tree I will pay for yet again.


Note this is merely a desire for revenge against my lazy jobless family for making me pay for so many things then an actual desire to have an Angel on top of the tree. When all is said and done I prefer the simple elegance of a star.

And I believe trees should be tastefully decorated but with a personal touch that says " My tree". I believe people who copy from 'zines have no sense of taste or artistic ability.

[Kathryn Lacey]

Okay. I finally took some pictures of my grandmother's tree, and her angel topper. I really love the angel that she has, and I know that good angels are often hard to come by because there are so many hideous ones roaming around the stores...

Anyway, I took pictures with different camera settings to try to get the best images, and I ended up with three of the tree and one good one of the angel.

1. Glowy Tree
2. Clearest Image of Decor
3. Entire Tree, Angel and All; A bit dark
4. Close-up of Angel

As you'll probably notice, we colour coordinated our tree to match the angel: gold, green, red, and white. I hate gold, but I can't deny that the tree looks good all together.

[Kyna]

I do not like angels on trees. My grandmother was a doll maker and her house is littered in an assortment of crafted angelic beings, so having another one on the tree, though fitting for her, kinda creeps me out. Besides, I've never really seen an angel tree topper that looked good IMHO.

Stars however, are fairly neutral and you can find some shiny pretty ones, I swear. Of course, I'm not traditional in any religious aspect. Personally, if I had a tree this year to decorate, if I put anything on top of the tree, I'd probably put a bird. Or as someone else mentioned, the Christmas Squirrel lol.

[Kathryn Lacey]

Well, in my opinion, our angel tree-topper reminds me more of a faerie because her wings aren't feathery and she has a floral crown, sort of... So yeah...

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