The Crazy Simple Life

When the Sports Fan and I were married five-and-half years ago, we began our "Tree Slice Tradiiton." In this yearly ritual, my husband saws off a piece from the bottom of our Christmas tree, sands it smooth, and then gives it to me to decorate with our family's accomplishments and events for the year. Just yesterday I decorated our sixth tree slice and I'm happy to share this tradiiton with you.

Materials:

Wood Burning Tool (Incredibly easy to operate, inexpensive, and available at any craft or hobby store. If you prefer, you could use a fine tip permenant pen.)

Medium grit sandpaper (an electric sander speeds this along)

Electric drill and about 1/8 to 1/4 inch drill bit

6-8 inches of ribbon for hanging

1. Sand the surface of your tree slice until it's relatively smooth.

2. Drill a hole through the top.

3. Rinse the wood dust off and let the tree slice dry overnight.

4. Use a pencil to sketch in the year and the events and accomplishments you'd like to catalog. I usually write the year large and in the center, then use writing and drawings to record everything else. This year, my slice focuses mostly on our travels, but in the past I've included weddings, births, promotions, and special birthdays.

5. Start burning! Carefully follow the instructions on your own wood burning tool for this part. Remember to give it enough time to warm up before using it, and to let it cool completely before putting it away or changing tips. You might want to practice on some scrap lumber or firewood. (No need to worry about any of this if you plan to use permanant pen.)

Did you make a mistake? No worries. Just bring out your sander again and "erase" your boo-boos.

6. Thread your ribbon through the hole and hang! Your first tree slice might look nice hanging in the center of a wreath. Several tree slices look lovely hanging from a banister or mantle draped with garland. Can't wait until I have enough to go the entire length of our stairs!

Our family and guests love looking at our tree slices and we love reminiscing over our years together. I hope this is a tradition you add to your home!