In late 2020, when the world still felt upside down, we made a big decision: we were going to build a new home. We sold our old house that spring, started construction in the summer of 2021, and waited through what felt like an endless stretch of delays and post-COVID contractor shortages. When we finally moved in during the summer of 2022, we were thrilled… and exhausted.
Settling in took everything we had, and before I knew it, Christmas was staring me in the face. The tree we’d bought when my children were little had started to shed badly the last few years, so we donated it before moving out of the old house. I knew all year that a new tree wasn’t in the budget yet — and I’d made peace with having a “tree-less” Christmas.
But then December arrived. And our beautiful new living room, with its tall cathedral ceiling, looked so empty. It needed a tree. A tall, sparkling tree.
So we decided to get a new one.
I started online… only to find that almost every tree I loved was out of stock, likely thanks to lingering supply chain issues. So I grabbed the keys and my daughter and set out to try our luck in person — maybe a tree or two had slipped through inventory.
We went to store after store.
Nothing.
Everything we wanted was sold out.
Finally, we pulled into a home improvement store the next town over, and there it was.
Standing on the concrete floor, fully lit and absolutely glowing, was the most beautiful Christmas tree. Full, lush, tall enough for our new living room, and just breathtaking. I knew instantly: that’s the one.
But of course… it was out of stock too.
The sweet associate told us they could sell us the floor model, and I practically beamed. He went to find the box — came back with the manual and the remote — but no box. No problem! We had a Yukon XL. Surely we could make it work.
He dismantled the tree, piece by piece, laid every branch on a dolly, and wheeled it out to our car. My daughter and I climbed into the Yukon, assuming he had everything under control, and we’d only be in the way. We were chatting, not paying much attention.
And then we heard,
“Have a good night!”
I glanced in the rear-view mirror to tell him thank you… and froze. All I could see was green.
I turned around and burst out laughing.
From the back of our seats all the way to the lift gate, it looked like an entire evergreen forest had decided to hitch a ride home with us. Every limb from that beautiful tree was sprawled out everywhere — and without a box to contain it, it was truly something to behold.
We got it home, set it up, and it’s been the centerpiece of our Christmas ever since. And honestly? This year it seems to be showing off a little — bigger, brighter, and even more beautiful.
Maybe that’s the magic of a tree with a story.
Our original 2022 tree isn’t made anymore, but I found the closest match available today — same 9-ft height, even higher light and tip count, and that warm, magical glow that fills a room. If you’ve been wanting a tree like ours, here’s the closest one I’ve found.
👉 Amazon Tree Link
Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I may earn from qualifying purchases.
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