I was recently inspired by a woman whom I've never met, but whose blog I regularly read. Her home looked absolutely amazing with her many trees and beautiful decorations. How I would love to be able to produce that same effect in my home. But, alas, I'm afraid that's never going to happen.
We usually decorate the tree on the first Monday evening of December, but since the last day of November fell on a Monday, The Mr. and Daughter #3 felt we should make a break from tradition this year so we wouldn't have to wait any longer. I had been busy all day Monday, and when I arrived home at suppertime, there was Daughter #3 busy getting the tree set up, adjusting branches and "fluffing" twigs. How she maneuvered that heavy thing out of the storage room and up the stairs is beyond me, but apparently she didn't want to waste any time.
Every year I have suggested that we decorate our tree in a specific color or with a specific theme, but every year I get shut down. ("Why would we want to do that? We've got all these great decorations!") So every year our tree looks pretty much the same as the last - with the exception of the current year's new ornaments added to the mix.
When the kids were little I started the tradition of purchasing an ornament for each of them each year, so that by the time they left home, they would have a few ornaments of their own to hang on their tree until they could afford to get their own decorations. I still remember the first ones I ever got for Daughter #1 and Daughter #2 - little porcelain girls dressed in Christmas colors. Now that they have families of their own, those little ornaments are long gone from my household, but I still think of them with fondness every time we decorate the tree. Sniff. But I digress...
So, this year was no different from the rest. Daughter #3 still didn't want me put on the ribbon garland I purchased about 7 years ago (and have never once been able to use), because "that would take too long." We started placing the ornaments on the tree. Even though our decorations are an eclectic mix of old, new, homemade, and slightly ugly, we place them on our tree with a lot of love and warm memories. Here are a few we've collected over the years:
This was for Son #1A. It was given the year he took guitar lessons.
The December that Daughter #2 got married, the rest of us cut out tons of paper snowflakes to use as wedding decorations. Each child got a different style of snowflake that year to remind us of the many hours we spent in that pursuit.
Earlier this year Daughter #3 went to West Edmonton Mall and tryed riding a segway for the first time. She loved it so much that she came home thinking we needed to get one. So this was for her this year.
Son #1B spent a lot of time during Junior and Senior High School as a "Hope Kid" - an organization where teenagers spend one day a week with Senior Citizens to bring them hope. This was one of the crafts they worked on together.
Several years ago I saw these foil fans in a craft store and decided to make some of my own. At the time they were kinda cute, but of course are very outdated now. I was surprised to find out just this year, that The Mr. really likes them, and in fact, it's the only ornaments that he puts on the tree each year. Who knew?
When Daughter #3 was a "Sunbeam" at church. Her teacher had each of the children bring a picture of themselves to class, and then helped them make these little gifts to give to their parents. I not only have fond memories of my daughter at that stage of her life, but it brings back fond memories for her teacher, as well.
Here's one that Son #1A made at church when he was about nine. He can't stand it and never wants to bring it out of his ornament sack. But every year we sneak it out and hang it in the most prominent place on the tree just to embarrass him.
This is one of the first ornaments I could ever find that depicted the nativity. So, of course I love it. I always hoped it would help my children remember the reason for the season.
This little penguin was give to Daughter #3 when she was in grade four by a little boy she had a crush on. Every year when she brings it out we hear a little sigh. ("Aww, Morgan.")
Our tree is never going to win any awards. In fact I'm sometimes embarrassed by it when certain women come into our home. (You know, the ones whose homes are perfect.) But, all in all, I love to look at it when the lights are on. I love to look at each decoration and recall the different memories it elicits. But I especially love to know that it's because of my wonderful family that it looks the way it does.
I love you guys!
Dixie (or should I say "Mom")
