Last year I experienced some technical difficulties with my Christmas decorations.

We have a big Christmas tree.  It reaches almost to the ceiling and has a 6-foot-WIDE base.christmas-tree2-2008 This is a really big tree.  It takes me hours to light it.  This tree accommodates at least 1500 lights.  I'm sure that if I try harder this year, I can fit even more on there.

If my husband doesn't think that the tree looks "x-rayed" when we turn the lights on, I haven't accomplished my mission.  I'm the Clark W. Griswold of artificial Christmas trees.  I guess it's a good thing we don't have a real one, because all those lights would have the tree dried out in a day--two, at most.

Last year I was really an overachiever in this respect.  I blew out the special "Christmas tree extension cord" with the separate sections that go right up the trunk of the tree.  I had to dig out several regular extension cords and plug them into a power strip with a surge protector.

Since I've still got a brand-new, unopened box of several hundred lights to add to the tree, I'll be starting right out with that surge protector this year.  Can I top my record--maybe even reach 2000 lights?  You'll be able to see it from 3 blocks away!

COUPON TIME

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$20 off a purchase of $125 or more at AceHardware.com
Use this link to activate the promotion/discount code at checkout: Discount will appear in your shopping cart.
Valid through: December 31, 2009 11:59pm ET
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$5 off orders over $50 at the Home Depot
Use promotion code WINTER99 at checkout.
Valid through: December 14, 2009
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Our Christmas Shopping page and Free Shipping pages will help make your shopping easy this year!