On Saturday the 28th of November we put up our Christmas Tree again for the second year in a row.
I never really got around to getting a Christmas tree when I was a bachelor.
But as soon as Karen and I moved in together she got one for our apartment.
It was 2011 and I was temping and working nights at BIG W. We lived pay to pay.
It was an old fibre optic tree that no longer worked that she picked up at a Salvos store.
Half a metre tall, bent over we had no decorations but Karen placed a Christmas Penguin toy at the foot of it and voila we had a Christmas tree.
A year later a colleague at QUT offered me is Christmas tree lights that he was throwing out because a third of them did not work.
With all of them wrapped en masse around that tiny tree you couldn’t tell.
Christmas Tree 2012
Last year I was made a permanent employee after years of working contracts.
I decided I was getting our first proper tree.
I had always wanted a fibre optic tree but the ones in the shops seemed lacklustre in their lighting. I remembered ones that shone like the embers of a fire, not these little specks of light.
Resigned to having to temper my expectations my mother suggested we try the Christmas Warehouse just down the road from our place.
There we found a tree.
People advised us fibre optics don’t last.
The guy at the warehouse suggested not to get lights to go with the fibre optics, it would be overkill.
Karen worried I was spending too much by getting our first decorations but I saw it as an investment and at my urging she picked out some.
A nice European wintry feel to this. My Mum as a young person once had a friend who drove a VW Beetle and her dream car as a young person was a Mini Cooper. Its a stretch but I guess I was thinking of her with this decoration. Copyright Lloyd Marken.
Sombre gloss. Copyright Lloyd Marken.
Karen putting up the decorations for the first time. Copyright Lloyd Marken.
Me putting up the decorations for the first time. Copyright Lloyd Marken.
My roots are in Scotland, Ireland and Italy. Alas though there was no Italian decorations in David Jones and I had no interest in the leprechaun. This proud Scottish bagpiper can stand in for them all. Copyright Lloyd Marken.
Copyright Lloyd Marken.
Birds always make for nice decorations and again bring back memories of decorations that have been in the family. Copyright Lloyd Marken.
Copyright Lloyd Marken.
A decoaration my Mum gave to me to hang on our Christmas tree from Karen and I’s Wedding Day. Copyright Lloyd Marken.
This decoration made me laugh and amused my Dad. Now I can’t help but think of him when putting it up. Copyright Lloyd Marken.
Copyright Lloyd Marken.
For me a must when I saw it as I do still think of myself as a Christian. It’s the decoration placed highest on the tree too. Copyright Lloyd Marken.
One of the decorations that Karen picked out. Copyright Lloyd Marken.
Something a little evocative of a decoration my family had when I was growing up. Copyright Lloyd Marken.
Copyright Lloyd Marken.
It’s not a snow globe but I like it. Copyright Lloyd Marken.
A pretty decoration Karen has come to admire more. Copyright Lloyd Marken.
A little Australian flavour. Copyright Lloyd Marken.
A set of Santas currently hung by me and Karen but maybe as time goes on, a favourite will be a go to for a little one. Copyright Lloyd Marken.
How they hung in 2019. Copyright Lloyd Marken.
How they hung in 2019. Copyright Lloyd Marken.
How they hung in 2019. Copyright Lloyd Marken.
How they hung in 2019. Copyright Lloyd Marken.
A consistent Christmas grinch I found myself excitedly putting up the tree and placing the ornaments with care.
Finally the sun went down and I flicked the switch.
The Copyright Lloyd Marken.first time our Christmas tree was lit up in 2019. Copyright Lloyd Marken.
My God it was beautiful, so beautiful that Karen beamed and we hugged each other.
Over a tree.
Why?…
I guess in that moment, we felt we got some points on the board.
Copyright Lloyd Marken.
Copyright Lloyd Marken.
The Copyright Lloyd Marken.first time our Christmas tree was lit up in 2019. Copyright Lloyd Marken.
Copyright Lloyd Marken.
Copyright Lloyd Marken.
Copyright Lloyd Marken.
Copyright Lloyd Marken.
Copyright Lloyd Marken.
I hope that tree may end up in our first home.
I picked out ornaments to maybe one day be hung by the hands of a child or two.
Regardless of what the future may bring, looking at that lit up tree I felt I had one to look forward to.
If Christmas is truly about giving then my place of employment in 2019 gave me a truly generous gift and one that I will always be grateful for.
More so even given what had transpired for so many in the twelve months that followed.
Our tree after we lit it up in 2020. We had a few new decorations from family.Copyright Lloyd Marken.
Our tree after we lit it up in 2020. We had a few new decorations from family.Copyright Lloyd Marken.
Our tree after we lit it up in 2020. We had a few new decorations from family.Copyright Lloyd Marken.
Our tree after we lit it up in 2020. We had a few new decorations from family.Copyright Lloyd Marken.
Our tree after we lit it up in 2020. We had a few new decorations from family.Copyright Lloyd Marken.
Our tree after we lit it up in 2020. We had a few new decorations from family.Copyright Lloyd Marken.
Our tree after we lit it up in 2020. We had a few new decorations from family.Copyright Lloyd Marken.
Our tree after we lit it up in 2020. We had a few new decorations from family.Copyright Lloyd Marken.
Our tree after we lit it up in 2020. We had a few new decorations from family.Copyright Lloyd Marken.
Our tree after we lit it up in 2020. We had a few new decorations from family.Copyright Lloyd Marken.
Our tree after we lit it up in 2020. We had a few new decorations from family.Copyright Lloyd Marken.
Our tree after we lit it up in 2020. We had a few new decorations from family.Copyright Lloyd Marken.
Our tree after we lit it up in 2020. We had a few new decorations from family.Copyright Lloyd Marken.
Our tree after we lit it up in 2020. We had a few new decorations from family.Copyright Lloyd Marken.
Our tree after we lit it up in 2020. We had a few new decorations from family.Copyright Lloyd Marken.
Our tree after we lit it up in 2020. We had a few new decorations from family.Copyright Lloyd Marken.
Our tree after we lit it up in 2020. We had a few new decorations from family.Copyright Lloyd Marken.
Our tree after we lit it up in 2020. We had a few new decorations from family.Copyright Lloyd Marken.
Our tree after we lit it up in 2020. We had a few new decorations from family.Copyright Lloyd Marken.
Our tree after we lit it up in 2020. We had a few new decorations from family.Copyright Lloyd Marken.
One more final thing.
A shout-out to my wife.
I tried months earlier to untangle the Christmas tree lights.
Eventually I had decided I would hand them over to a charity store and buy a new set. A stupidly extravagant waste of money but one that I had resolved to make.
One morning Karen said she’d give it a go untangling them if that was my decision.
I went off and got ready for work and ten minutes later I come back out and she had them all untangled.
My wife had saved Christmas.
-Lloyd Marken
Our Christmas Tree shining bright in 2020. Copyright Lloyd Marken.
Our Christmas Tree shining bright in 2020. Copyright Lloyd Marken.
Our Christmas Tree shining bright in 2020. Copyright Lloyd Marken.
Our Christmas Tree shining bright in 2020. Copyright Lloyd Marken.
Our Christmas Tree shining bright in 2020. Copyright Lloyd Marken.
Not really. Although I can’t remember how many times the boys knocked the tree over when they were young.
Did you use real trees?
Always. Loved taken the boys and buying a tree.
The trees aren’t as good here and don’t last as long in the heat. I hear the UK and US are starting to tip the majority of fake trees but its been very gradual. Thanks to the Charlie Brown Christmas Special too. My sister and her Canadian husband have taken up the tradition of live trees in their British household and with great success. It looks beautiful and im told smells great too.
What a stunning Christmas Tree, Lloyd, an absolute stunner!
When we moved to Norfolk, we bought a large ‘pre-lit’ tree from John Lewis. It was expensive, but has lasted for 8 years. Julie loves it, and collects ‘special and relevant’ decorations for it. If it was left to me, I wouldn’t have one. But it means a great deal to her, and she is my wife. So…
Nice to see you and Karen enjoying yours, Lloyd.
Best wishes, Pete.
It sounds lovely. Well done to Julie for the tree. Preliminary are very popular. The guy in the store couldn’t get why we would want lights for a fibre optic. The whole point for many is its preliminary and you don’t decorations to make it colourful but I wanted golden hue contrasting with it and it actually worked. Very nice when things turn out like you hoped. Best wishes Pete.
Back to the Drawing Board Productions 
MEMORIES…
Nicely said Don. Any Christmas Tree stories from you?
Not really. Although I can’t remember how many times the boys knocked the tree over when they were young.
Did you use real trees?
Always. Loved taken the boys and buying a tree.
The trees aren’t as good here and don’t last as long in the heat. I hear the UK and US are starting to tip the majority of fake trees but its been very gradual. Thanks to the Charlie Brown Christmas Special too. My sister and her Canadian husband have taken up the tradition of live trees in their British household and with great success. It looks beautiful and im told smells great too.
What a stunning Christmas Tree, Lloyd, an absolute stunner!
Thank you very kindly John. Any Christmas Tree traditions from the home of Sherwood Forest?
When we moved to Norfolk, we bought a large ‘pre-lit’ tree from John Lewis. It was expensive, but has lasted for 8 years. Julie loves it, and collects ‘special and relevant’ decorations for it. If it was left to me, I wouldn’t have one. But it means a great deal to her, and she is my wife. So…
Nice to see you and Karen enjoying yours, Lloyd.
Best wishes, Pete.
It sounds lovely. Well done to Julie for the tree. Preliminary are very popular. The guy in the store couldn’t get why we would want lights for a fibre optic. The whole point for many is its preliminary and you don’t decorations to make it colourful but I wanted golden hue contrasting with it and it actually worked. Very nice when things turn out like you hoped. Best wishes Pete.