make your own tree

being an expat, and a short-term expat at that, it's just not worth investing in some things. real furniture, for instance. plants. or christmas trees.

but i love christmas.  it's my favorite holiday.  i hate not being home for christmas.  

so, how to enjoy the christmas season in a country where christmas is celebrated more like valentine's day?  (yes.  valentine's day.  here, christmas is a couple's day.  you buy a cake in a fancy box & go out on a date with your partner to a nice western restaurant - often italian. like valentine's day.)

well, step one to enjoying christmas, for me, is to figure out which christmas cookies can be successfully made in the toaster oven & bake 'til my eyes fall out.  

step two is to decorate the apartment without crossing the "it's just not worth investing in some things" line.  

to fulfill this step, the best boyfriend R made us a christmas tree.  a corrugated cardboard christmas tree.

i love it.

we've pulled it out again from last year & are considering covering it with cute korean christmas stickers this year, so it looks like it has more ornaments on it.  haven't decided if that will look cute or tacky.  the stickers may be cute enough to keep tacky at bay.  

anyway, without further rambling, i bring you:

Our Tree.

it looks a little lonely without presents.  i need to get some candy canes, if i can find them, and hang them on the branches.

how to make? 

get a giant box & cut out a tree shape.  trace it & cut out a second, identical shape.  color at will.  (R colored ours with a green board marker.  it took a looooong time. ~lol~)   

cut slits from the bottom up on one piece and from the top down on the other.  make sure they meet each other about 1/3 of the way up from the bottom.

slide the pieces together.

if you happen to buy christmas lights that randomly come with a plastic light-filled star attached, fill the top of your tree with toothpicks and secure the star on your tree.

voila!  your own expat tree.  ~^^ 

i'm getting excited for christmas.  we're going to have our potluck christmas at our apartment again.  

but, i am happy that we'll be home for christmas next year.  it's the last year in korea.