It works like this: you see a cute photo on Instagram. It looks like this:

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A post shared by My Friends Are Fiction 🇺🇸 (@myfriendsarefiction) on Dec 5, 2018 at 9:34am PST

“Hmm!” you think to yourself. “I could do that.”

“…I should do that.”

This is your first mistake.

Then you switch on over to that nifty little blackhole app where all your time goes: Pinterest.

“Why, what is this?” you say aloud (actually, you don’t say it aloud because that would be weird). “Tis but a simple craft! I can create a bookish tree of my own!”

Mistake number two.

What ensues is three hours of trying to string lights around a pile of books that keeps falling down.

So, we’ve saved you the trouble: don’t worry about trying to create that perfect bookish Christmas tree. Just enjoy the grueling labor that must have gone into these gorgeous trees instead!

Some are adorably simple

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A post shared by Teresa (@teereads) on Nov 28, 2017 at 8:15am PST

Some are shockingly grand

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A post shared by 🇺🇸Bridget🇺🇸 (@darkfaerietales_) on Dec 8, 2018 at 6:56am PST

Some are a lovable pile of classics that you just want to stare at until the new year

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A post shared by leahbergen (@leahbergen) on Dec 3, 2018 at 6:37pm PST

While others are YA novels that you have to keep yourself from grabbing right out of the tree

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A post shared by Madewithlovecrafter (@lovelyreadergirl) on Nov 20, 2018 at 3:58pm PST

Some are #cozy

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A post shared by Michelle (@astoldbymichelle) on Nov 24, 2018 at 6:36am PST

Others have a cat nearby that you just know is plotting to tip that tree over

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A post shared by Jeana | HotCocoaReads (@hotcocoareads) on Nov 30, 2018 at 7:41am PST

Some complete the perfect reading nook

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A post shared by Jeana | HotCocoaReads (@hotcocoareads) on Dec 9, 2018 at 7:40am PST

This one has a tree-of-trees situation

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A post shared by 🌿Alex (@ourlittlewhitebungalow) on Dec 5, 2018 at 2:28pm PST

And tbh some are just magic

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A post shared by Elizardbirth (@elizabeth_sagan) on Dec 5, 2018 at 9:02am PST

Not ready to return to reality? Checkout these 12 books to read when adulting is just too much.