Precious memories. . .

Hang this on your
Christmas tree,
To remember how
I used to be.
To remind you of me
Now and then,
And bring fond memories
Back again.
(unknown author)







I'm a sentimental fool. . .I admit it! Yesterday, I spent almost 5 hours decorating my Christmas tree. Is it a perfect "decorator tree" like those in the stores and that's why it took so long? No, it's a lifetime of memories and each ornament takes me back to the person or place from where it came. Starting at the top is the angel (with star halo) that hung on my parents tree as I grew up. When I was 18 and moved into my first apartment my mother gave me that tree top for my first tree (as she had a new electric star, all the rage in 1975), I soon met & fell in love with Jeff and lo and behold his parents had the same angel (sans star) in their nativity set. We are now blessed to have both of them as precious memories of our parents and childhoods. More ornaments harking back to my childhood are the velvet toy soldier that my dad bought me on the way to visit my new baby niece born on Christmas Day, 1967. Behind it is a yarn pom pom ornament that my mom made in homemaker's club in the early 1970's all the more precious since she has been gone since 1977 and dad in 1998. There are the ornaments added from Jeff & my travels (wonderful souveniers from each vacation), the handmade ones I have crafted over the years, and the loving gifts from friends and family. A new tradition is the "pickle" which gets hidden among the branches and the lucky person to find it gets a sweet surprise but my favorite of all are the ones my kids made in their elementary years. There are two gingerbread cookie men crafted in Mrs. Seeman's kindergarten classes in 1984 & 1988, two laminated 2nd grade photos in hand colored ornaments from Mr. Runia's classes and the faded construction paper ornaments signed with early uneven printed handwriting. Each ornament is such a wonderful memory. . .5 hours went by just too quickly!
P.S. This year, Benjamin picked our biggest tree ever. . .in the stand it is 8 ft tall and almost 5 feet across!