One of my favorite parts of Christmas is decorating the tree. We have a few traditions in my family that are associated with the Christmas tree. First, each year, each grandchild receives their very own Christmas ornament. It usually corresponds with what is going on in your life at the time or is an ornament that reminds my grandma of you. This year, Wil and I received a just married ornament from my grandma with a bride and groom on it. Second, it is a family tradition to get a Christmas ornament on each vacation. Hunting for the perfect ornament from each spot has become one of my favorite things to do - and keeps me from buying other vacation keepsakes that seem cool at the time, but have no usefulness once you return home and unpack them from your suitcase.
Because of these traditions, there's an anticipation that comes with unwrapping each ornament - which one will it be, which vacation or person or experience in my life will I get the joy of remembering when I open this ornament?
We're getting ready to take the tree down this week, and since I am a bit melancholy about it, I thought I would post photos of a few of my most special ornaments. It might even become a blogging tradition for me - posting a few ornaments each year. Someday, someone will wonder what makes each ornament so special or why I get so excited when I open a particular one. This way, that wondering person will know.
First, is one of my very favorite ornaments. We actually have two or three of these and you can see similar ornaments gracing the trees of immediate and extended family members. When I was a little girl, my mom and I would make a Christmas gift to hand out to all of our family members on Christmas Eve. One year she sewed and I stuffed pillow looking ornaments, one year I used Christmas tree shaped sponges to sponge paint a little picture and then we decorated them with paint and buttons. And one year, we made these ornaments.
I still remember how sticky the glue mixture felt on my fingers as we dipped each piece of fabric in it, ran it between our fingers to remove any excess glue and then placed the fabric on the styrofoam ball ornament. You have to be careful with this one...it still gets a bit sticky in the heat of the garage or attic. Toward the bottom, you will notice one of its run-ins with a particularly nasty paper towl. Ever since, I've tried to make sure this ornament lives at the top of the ornament box with plenty of distance between it and any paper towels!
Next, is an ornament from my great grandma's tree.
I don't know the significance of this ornament or why she loved it, but every time I unwrap it I am reminded of her and our family Christmas Eves at her house. This little bird attahces to our tree the same way he attached to my great grandma's tree - with a bobby pin.
My last ornament for you today is not really an ornament at all. But, it is the crown jewel of the Christmas tree - it is the angel that goes on top.
I'm not sure where or when I developed such strong opions about what should be on the top of my Christmas tree - but I have extremely strong opinions about what can be on top of my Christmas tree. I don't want a star on my tree - stars are great, I love stars and I think stars look wonderful on other people's trees, but I want an angel on my tree. And, not just any angel can grace the top of my tree. I want a beautiful but simple angel. No extra frilly dresses or huge skirts that you can practically hide presents under. No overdone makeup or wings that stretch into the next room, just a simple and beautiful angel.
This is the angel that has been on our family Christmas tree for as long as I can remember, and I love her! There is something completely perfect about her simplicity and the way she rules over the top of the tree without dominating it.
1 comment:
I love this post!!!
I'm totally going to copy it! Thanks for the great idea, and thanks for sharing your memories!!
Post a Comment