This year I decided to join my brother’s family in their tradition of the Mystery Tree. My SIL Kelly says it started because of their small Pastor’s salary that wouldn’t support an expensive tree. They would go to Target or Home Depot and get the biggest tree they could on their budget. They bought one that was still wrapped. No fair untying it and seeing if it’s a beauty. No walking around the tree lot for hours looking for the perfect tree. Throw it on top of the car, take it home, put it in its stand then unwrap it, stand back and enjoy the surprise! Sometimes you’ll get a Charlie Brown Tree (which some people prefer) but for the most part you get one that is great. So join me on my Mystery Tree Expedition…
Straight to Home Depot and to the garden department. Down the row of 5-6 ft. trees. I picked this one.
I really confused the Home Depot employee when I told him I was taking it just like it was. I told him I wanted to be surprised with our mystery tree and that I had faith it would be great. He sawed off a bit of the bottom for me so it would soak up water in the tree stand…
He was kind enough to put it in my car for me with a smile for the camera…
It fit in my car perfectly and home again, home again, jiggity jig…
Here it is in the house still in its mystery stage. Katie had the stand all ready when I got home. She got the honors of cutting the rope.
Voila! Mystery solved and oh what a beauty. The best part of this whole story is that the only man required for this adventure was the Home Depot guy. Ladies it is possible to get a tree from the lot to your home and up in the stand if your hubby is away on business or in the service, or if you are a single mom, etc. Maybe it’s more fun to do it together sometimes but don’t despair if you have to do it by yourself. Make it fun. Try the Mystery surprise tree method. From Home Depot to this stage it took me less than 1 hour!
I’ll let you see it again when we get the lights on and decorate it. Blesssings on all your activities this week….
Photobucket has blacked out all my photos I was storing on their site and they are holding them hostage. I am working on updating my more than 4000 posts.
The Happy Wonderer ~ ellen b. 
It’s a beauty isn’t it? Well done and what a great idea! Enjoy your tree.
This is the type of adventure that I love to partake in. What a treat to cut that rope and whoooomp! what a great tree and fun memory!
It’s perfect! I want to do that next year. It’s such a good idea because it’s probably way easier to move it around while it’s wrapped!
I loved this story. I may try it too because Bill is gone all week and I don’t want to wait for the weekend.
It’s a nifty tradition with a practical side (ease of transport, and SET UP, which I can never do by myself with an unwrapped tree!).
I just LOVE this idea!! and you got such a beautiful tree too. But I just think about if one got a really dreadful looking tree, well that would be nice too…my kids and I’d be thinking, “oh thank goodness we bought this one- cuz no one would have picked it out if they had seen it!” We’d have the satisfaction of saving a poor tree from the ignominy of being left to dry out on the lot and never experiencing the joy of ornamentation;-)
You got a lovely tree! What a fun idea! We’ve had our share of Charlie Brown trees in our married life. The kids love to look back at pictures and giggly over the oddly shaped trees but love the memories of it.
Nice Work! You girls rock! Can’t wait to see it decorated!
This is a beautiful Christmas tree! I can pay hundreds of dollars for it in Singapore and yet not be able to get such a lovely one.
Yes, that surely is a lovely tree! I like your method, and it’s so simple and easy.
My DH was walking by the computer as I was looking at your blog and wanted to know “what other nut has bookshelves full of books in their house?” He was saying it kindly, of course, because we have a wall or two of books ourselves.