The Boles Family Christmas Tree

Last week was spent decorating my family's Christmas tree. Now, in years past, the tree trimming went something like this: buying the tree, loading it on top of the car, poor Dad schlepping it inside and getting it into the Red Devil (the super duper Christmas tree stand), stringing it with lights, decorating it with ornaments that we've had forever, and my mother vowing that "Next year, we're going to do this differently. Your father can't keep dragging a 7 foot tree into the house." Fortunately for Mom and Dad, this year's tree is a godsend.

I was contacted a few weeks ago by Green Valley Christmas Trees and was asked if I was interested in having them send me a tree to decorate. Believe me, it didn't take long for me to email a resounding "Yes!" I admit that I had never thought about ordering a Christmas tree or wreath online before, but now I'm a convert. You order your tree which is harvested and shipped on the same day to ensure freshness, and within a few days it is delivered to your doorstep via FedEx. I chose a 6-7' Fraser fir, and sure enough, within a few days, it was delivered to my parents' home. The tree was absolutely beautiful and fresh, and the shape was pretty close to perfect. And the best part was that my father's back was spared the pain of tree hauling duty.

Since buying the tree required so little effort, I decided to give this year's Boles family tree a whole new look. I had a large remnant of Rubelli fabric called "Tea Introduction", an exotic print filled with blues, pinks, and aubergines, which I used as a kind of slapdash tree skirt. It also served as inspiration for the color scheme of the tree. For the ornaments, I chose blue, silver, and pink ball ornaments mixed with peacocks (I don't think they were present for the tea introduction, but hey, they're exotic), pagodas, and aubergine colored feather-like things. When your tree has a theme, you have to be pretty flexible when buying ornaments. Finding exotic ornaments-especially in an aubergine color- in two days ain't easy!

The best part? My father's back is in one piece and my mother left the decorating to me. I'd say we're starting off the holidays on the right foot.



Rubelli's "Tea Introduction" was the inspiration for the tree's theme.

These peacocks were right up my alley- a gorgeous shade of blue and covered in little sequins.

The pagodas are reminiscent of those found in the fabric remnant.

I think this is a feather, but it was the aubergine color that sold me on them.

(All photographs by Jennifer Boles for The Peak of Chic)