WHAT were we thinking when we went on the trail of the awesome pine? AKA, the search to find Merseyside’s most topping Christmas tree of 2015,
To be honest, we weren’t quite sure.
A sexy spruce? A fantastic fir? Red and green? Multicoloured? Or a tree that was simply all white on the night?
We were looking for a homegrown creation with a sprinkling of festive magic, a tree that would turn a few heads - in a good way.
In other words a tree with that elusive X-(mas) Factor.
Hundreds of you responded to our call out over social media, sharing, in pictures, your beautiful baubles: the Dickensian, the real, the fake and, in one case, you even decorated yourself as a tree. You used decorations generations old. You used Coke cans, What is certain is that every tree has been carefully crafted with love and all are a massive credit to you talented lot who have clearly been having a wonderful Christmastime.
Massive thanks for sharing them with us. The pleasure has been entirely ours.
Now glad tidings we bring to reveal the winner as Norma Malone, of Ainsdale, whose merry mannequin in dress of very lovely branches stood out from the crowd and was a star of wonder which drew gasps from you all.
A very, very close runner up, for us, was a super sweep/snowman and his young, lifelike assistant by Lisa Hughes @thequeenosheba which caused us to grin from ear to ear.
"Our little boy insisted the tree matched his outfit!" Lisa tweeted.
The Christmas tree of the year runner up, by Lisa Hughes
Liverpool Confidential turned up at winner Norma’s home on Christmas Eve to present her with her prize (a £200 restaurant tab for the family), and discovered a veritable grotto beautifully dressed Christmas trees in virtually every room. But it was the special skirt, sitting next to the stairs, decorated with more than 100 twinkling ornaments and lights what won it.
“I’m utterly gobsmacked,” said Norma, a former occupational therapist working with people with learning difficulties. “I have never won anything in my entire life and it is my 60th birthday next month - we will certainly be celebrating.”
Norma, originally from Bootle, shares her Southport home with her husband and three of her former cases.
She started out her career in a sewing room and has always leaned towards arts and crafts in her spare time.
“It took me two complete days to make the dress. I cut up two 5ft trees and arranged the branches over a crinoline before decorating it. It’s the sort of project I would make as an occupational therapist.”
Added Norma: “I posted a picture on my Facebook page and got lots of lovely compliments. A friend suggested I enter it into the Liverpool Confidential competition. She will definitely be coming out with us when we take up the prize.”
Now, goodbye to all that. Let's do it again in 2016. Meanwhile, here are some favourites.
#treecheersforliv
Amanda Marman dressed herself as a tree
The too-tired-for-Christmas tree
The real thing: A Coca-Cola decorated Christmas tree
The top-of-the-world Christmas tree
The better-luck-next-time Christmas tree
The wedding photo with matching tree tree
Ornaments that survive from school
