Saturday, December 17, 2011

The Christmas Tree

Do you like decorating your Christmas tree?  It's a trip through time for me.  I'm always reminded all the way back to our first Christmas as newlyweds. The tree was tiny and looked much like it belonged to Charlie Brown.  My sister-in-law felt sorry for us and brought over some spare lights and ornaments. Then the tree looked pretty good...as long as you didn't look at the back side.  Sparse is the word that sticks in my mind.

The next couple years I made it my goal to get more ornaments.  If it was on sale after Christmas I snatched it up. If there was 100 in the box I was even faster putting it in the basket.  Everything was unbreakable; first there was the dog, then kids.  The tree was always pretty but I thought it was lacking something.

Over the years, I've figured out what that something is.  First, I thought it missing a theme. You see the beautiful trees in the magazines all decked out with lights, ornaments, bows and ribbons all one color. Or the ones with all one style of decorations; Western was always popular around here. I remember one year telling the family our tree would have only red and white decorations. It sounded good. But when I opened my box of ornaments I saw the truth.
A bell? A manger? I don't remember but it was made by a very young Matthew.

And I realized every ornament on my tree told a bit of our story.  What our tree was missing at first was life.  Today it is filled with our past and present; dreams of children; places we've travelled; and we're reminded of special people who gave us unique ornaments. Why don't you join me as I decorate the tree this year?

Riding the trolley in San Francisco...just like in the movies.


Love hand made ornaments like this reindeer made by a niece!
A young Rebecca made this ornament in school. I love the smile!

Rebecca through the years...
Celebrating her first Christmas
and the pink dress represents her cool style in couture!

Matthew's pretty glitter angel using a tongue depressor (teachers are clever).
Matthew loved to find ornaments with his name.

This gold foil ball is one of our original 12. There aren't many left, they are delicate and crumple easily.
Found in a little store in the swamps of Louisiana. Too funny to pass up.

You have to look close but these are ballet shoes representing Rebecca's many years of dance.

Kids make great ornaments in Sunday School, don't they?
It's Santa on a seashell! From my sister at the beach
in very patriotic NC!
This one is my reminder of riding the people mover escalator
past the Crown Jewels three times... it would have
been more but the family thought they'd seen enough.

When we first lived in Arizona my folks picked up these beautiful and unique tin ornaments in Mexico.
We were never able to find more but I finally inherited some. They are uniquely Southwestern.

Did somebody say FOOTBALL?
Yes, we're fans.

Have you seen Rebecca's Nutcracker collections?

Of course, everyone between 10 and 30 will know that the Nimbus 2000 is the best and newest broom!

A school picture captured as an ornament reminds of a young nephew.
A reminder of trekking through and around the subway system of London.

Matthew, lover of maps and globes picked this special ornament.

Another Rebecca ornament celebrating her cheerleading.



Yep, our tree may not be pictured on the cover of a magazine but it sure is beautiful!













2 comments:

  1. Jacob put my tree up and decorated it with the help from his girlfriend. He used all the ornaments the they had made over the years, and it is beautiful. Perhaps it was also the surprise of him doing when I was not there. What a wonderful thing to come home to. Couldn't figure how to put my name on this, so I chose anonymous. Linda

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    1. For years I swore Bob would have himself paged just when it was time to decorate the tree. I think it would be a true luxury to have someone put the tree up. But then I wouldn't be able to spend all that time reminiscing. t

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