Memories
Growing up we always had a real tree. A real Charlie Brown tree. It was always the family joke how my father year after year was able to find the most straggly tree on the lot. We decided he was always rooting for the underdog.
Some of my most vivid memories are of my older brother and I getting to decorate the tree. My brother and I would have an absolute blast. First ornament for me was of a little blue church that had been broken and had lost most of its glitter but nonetheless it was my favorite. After the tree was festooned in decorations we would add the icicles. We did this by having chucking contests. Of course it's a whole lot easier to throw big wads of icicles than single strands so it meant we ended up with a straggly but highly decorated tree dripping in big blobs of silver icicles.
One year after we finished decorating and went off doing who knows we came back home and admired our handiwork. We had really done a lovely job. That tree looked amazing. I remember saying as much to my parents and my father burst out laughing. My brother and I looked at each other, looked at my father and then glanced at our mother who was busy studying the pattern on the floor. We then looked at the tree and at the same time shouted, "You redecorated it!" We just thought that was too funny.
Well, now that I am living in an apartment where real trees are frowned upon I have a wee little artificial tree that I bought for 99 cents one year at Shoppers Drug Mart. I love decorating my tree because almost every ornament has a special meaning attached to it.
16 comments:
Nice tree. The more the sentimental the ornaments the better. My favourite from childhood was the cardboard tube angel...
Barbara, that's great. It's always the little things that mean so much rather than the grand or outrageously expensive. Are you going to set up a tree in your new apartment?
Your tree looks lovely! We get ourselves a Charlie Brown tree every year (I prefer them) and, as my thumb is still rather gimpy, I'm going to call upon the family to take charge of most of the decorating this year. I will try not to redecorate, but I understand where your parents were coming from on that one!
My favourite ornaments are the ones that my mom passed along to us when she moved in a care home.
(love the use of festooned btw)
I can't bring myself to set up my own little tree this year(those memories)... My sister has one set up and I will be spending Christmas with my folks and they are ready for Christmas in November, When I get to Montreal I can enjoy the family decor...
its not the size of the tree...its the memories and feelings that come with it and the decorations that threaten to tople it over
Thanks Barbara B. Hey glad to hear the thumb is going to come in handy! Family ornaments would be very special indeed.
Barbara, I'm really sorry for your loss. I don't know quite what to say except Christmas didn't work for us for a lot of years after my younger brother passed away and it wasn't until we were able to move on to new customs and traditions that it started to work again. I hope your time with your parents this Christmas is a special one. No doubt they will be thrilled to have you home.
Kelly, how is Jake with a tree? Does he try and topple it for you?
"We redecorated it!" i think that it is a classic! I think that my mom redecorated the Christmas tree each year, and that she still does. When we were younger, we had a Charlie Brown tree too, and because my Mom loves Charlie Brown, we had little Charlie brown figurines in the tree. But now, my mom bought an artificial one.
i think that all the ornaments in the tree have a special meaning or a certain memory attached to it (like the one we did one year, or the one from my great grand parents, or the year that my sister and i decorated it when we were really sick and did not go to school)
And we have a "rule" at home, no Christmas tree in the house before December first (i want my birthday to be Christmas free)
Good rule. Your birthday should be Christmas free. Your Christmas tree sounds nice with all your ornaments meaning something. Charlie Brown ornaments. That would be great to have hanging in a tree.
Frowned upon!?! Screw that. If It doesn't say "outright ban" DO IT! Remind me to tell you about the time I threw my Christmas tree out a third story window.
small town teacher...you have to blog your tree tossing story...i'll look for it on your site later
toccata...jake ignores the tree and I get a real tree....only thing is his tail sometimes knocks ornaments flying
Small town teacher do tell!
Kelly, you'll have to post a picture when you have it up and ready. Of course you need to include Jake in it as well.
Your tree looks lovely Toccata!!
We never had a real tree because my Dad was allegric, but up until recently we had family one from the 1950s, and it was something. Complete with light reflectors, etc. I'm going home on Wednesday and we're decorating it at night, I'm excited. We always have a fight over who gets to put up the star. I love twinkle lights. Knowing that's waiting for me is giving me the extra push to finish my paper!
Allison, it's amazing the memories that the simple act of putting up a Christmas trees conjures up. I hope you win the fight for the all important star this year!
OH! I LOVE the ephalant!!! I really enjoy looking at other people's christmas ornaments! Each one seems to have a really great story attached.
PS I have always liked angel tree toppers more than stars.
Mellowlee that elephant is from Granville Island in Vancouver from many, many years ago. My sister bought it for me. Our grandma used to collect elephants so of elephants always remind me of her.
Post a Comment