………………My Christmas tree is finished!….It took me three days to decorate……First, I do the top of the tree completely…on a ladder….so I do it slowly……….The second day I finish the rest of the tree, and on the third day I add the icicles, and NEW this year…the LED CANDLES….that slightly flicker…..Also new this year is the NUTCRACKER TREE SKIRT…..Nutcrackers have become a small theme in the Gathering room….there are even nutcracker ornaments on the tree and one at each place setting on the table…..Over the years Jac and I collected many many ornaments….then one year, when the tree was in the living room, it fell over and many ornaments broke!…..That was heart breaking for the both of us. Some of my dear Linea Ladies sent Jac and I a surprise package of ornaments to rebuild our collection. They all hang proudly on the tree….Wherever we went, no matter the time of year, we searched for special ornaments until we FILLED the tree….and then bought more!…..Every ornament has a story, and I can still remember most of them…..It truly is an international tree as ornaments coming from England, France, Germany Austria, Italy, China, Japan, Amsterdam, Vienna, Hungary…the even Russia……and I’m sure I’m leaving a few out! I found the fabulous wool tartan throw that had been stored away on the third floor for years and years…While cleaning out the third floor rooms. I spotted this tartan throw, and a red and black wool Buffalo check throw that reverses to a camel cashmere throw I got from ETRO ages ago!…..I thought they would be perfect in the Gathering Room incase someone got chilly and wanted to wrap up. The tartan one almost matches my table cloth……..Sometimes it pays to go through draws you haven’t opened in years!