Decorating for Christmas

[jmohme]

My wife has officially switched into that mode.  I made four trips into the attic last night and we were up late just decoratiing the tree.

I told her that trimming the tree has not been nearly the same since they quit makeing wholsome, healthy, electrically conductive lead tinsel.  Anyone else feel the same?

[Huaco Kid]

I've grown into really not understanding "decorating".

My wife "decorated" last weekend while the grandkids were here (they can squeeze into the attic like rats). The excitement that generated for the kids was off the charts (think-Lost Boys). That's probably one very good reason for decorating.

But now, most of our house, especially the whole screened porch, looks like a whole troop of homeless-hoarder elfs moved in. It's about 100% crap.

[jmohme]

I am actually surprised she even allows me to participate in decorating after my modifications to her Grinch cookie jar.

[railfancwb]

6 hours ago, jmohme said:

My wife has officially switched into that mode.  I made four trips into the attic last night and we were up late just decoratiing the tree.

I told her that trimming the tree has not been nearly the same since they quit makeing wholsome, healthy, electrically conductive lead tinsel.  Anyone else feel the same?

Especially for people who want to run trains under the tree. There’s just something about the zittt and puff of smoke when the lead foil shorts the track when a train is trying to run. 

[El Spicoli]

No lead tin foil for us.  I sold our big tree last month since we never put it up.  I put the lights on outside and wife decorated living room

  We have a small ceramic tree, a small fiber optic tree that spins around, two 3 ft. Trees made out of multi colored round bulbs lights, a nativity scene on the brick floor by the fireplace, and garland on the mantle.

[Huaco Kid]

We'd drop a boll of steel wool onto the track at just the right moment. (it never popped a fuse)

They instantly start "burning". 1000 glowing, spreading traces of red taking over.

They spread and burn red pretty quick, until the whole thing is glowing. And then it'll turn into a ball of gray microscopic dust that Mom is glad you were making on the living room carpet, all day long.

If you time it right, the train will blast through the ball at max-molten-threads, making a huge explosion of fire/smoke/dust, worthy of an old chinese-monster-movie.

[Huaco Kid]

You'd have to promptly clean the cars and track.

Some of those engines were super-high quality and expensive (and magnets). Steel wool flaming barricades would destroy one of those engines if not cleaned pdq.

[railfancwb]

First tree I’ve had in several years. Previous was a small pre-lighted one which died when a cat removed and swallowed one of the tiny incandescent bulbs. Those series light strings will continue to burn when a bulb burns out, so the departed one can be found and replaced. When a bulb is removed the whole string goes dark. 

[janice6]

2 hours ago, railfancwb said:

Especially for people who want to run trains under the tree. There’s just something about the zittt and puff of smoke when the lead foil shorts the track when a train is trying to run. 

My mother got so mad at me the time I got an "O" gauge train for Christmas, I hauled pine needles all over the living room rug.