Christmas is coming very, very soon....

From Mail Online... Here is a great time-saver for Christmas:

The 'flat-pack' Christmas tree that can go up with lights, tinsel and baubles in seconds.

Flat pack: The tree fits in the above box All the parts as they look once removed from the box First, assemble the two-part pole, then unfold the tree over the top and finally plug it in for the 200 lights to twinkle all through Christmas. Hurry if you want to buy one of these trees: http://tinyurl.com/ycfofx9 Here are some nifty accessories to aid your happy Christmas tree experience, should you choose to purchase a more traditional variety of artificial tree. http://tinyurl.com/yfoh8vc The right equipment makes putting up your tree much easier. OR You can increase the chances of a live Christmas tree thriving in your landscape long past the holidays by selecting one that's native to your area. And because the local trees haven't been shipped from faraway places, they are typically cheaper, too. "Trees struggle to survive when planted where they wouldn't naturally grow," says Tchukki Andersen, an arborist with the Tree Care Industry Association. She suggests picking a species that's from your particular hardiness zone. For example, here in Arizona, one might benefit from watching this video for planting an appropriate tree. Just click on the thumbnail image to see how to do it: OR, my favorite...

Confetti Christmas Trees

tag board or heavy green paper crayons or oil pastels (optional) scissors pencil hole punch colored paper glue Draw or trace Christmas tree shape on tag board or other heavy green paper. Cut out. Make "ornaments" by using a hole punch to punch confetti shapes out of various colors of paper. (Shaped hole punches are nice for this project, but the plain old round variety works equally well.) Glue ornaments to tree. Use crayons or oil pastels to add additional decorations if desired.

Sarah Palin and a moose, hanging out together in a wreath.