I didn’t pick up my camera today until the day was pretty well done. And even after I picked it up, I shot from the hip. Well, actually I shot from the knee, from the floor, with my arms stuck into the Christmas tree. For all who ask the question, “Do you have a real tree or an artificial one?” I humbly submit this image.

“Olivia the Christmas Tree,” as named by my daughter, is like a human-looking robot from one of the many sci-fi movies my husband watches. Outside she appears to be an honest-to-goodness tree; on the inside, she’s all nuts and bolts, wires and plastic. Oh, did I mention that she’s cheap, paid for, and doesn’t need water? Yes, this year, she is more than sufficient—she’s charming.