O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree



I've been trying to start decorating early this year for Christmas. Monday I pulled down all the Christmas boxes from the attic. Tuesday I put up the tree.

Since I had already pulled down everything from the attic and had
the boxes set out in the garage, the hard part was pretty much done. We got home, ate a quick supper, and I went to work. We have a pre-lit tree that we bought the first Christmas we were married. I set it up, fluffed the branches, and plugged it in. The middle section of the tree wasn't lighting. I tried to pull out a few bulbs and replace them with some others, but they're (for whatever reason) a different size and the new bulbs wouldn't fit. No biggie. I knew where the stringed lights were in the garage and they would just be added to the tree to cover up its bald spot and the problem would be solved. I strung the first string on the tree, plugged them in, and soon realized that this strand was only lighting halfway. Grrr....

Okay, no biggie. We'll just take this second string and put it on the tree instead. Ryan had the brilliant idea of plugging in the second string before putting it on the tree (and you wonder why I married him?) and we soon found this strand to only light about two-thirds of the way. Sigh. Okay...no biggie. We'll pull off the bad bulbs and replace them with the working bulbs from the first string.

Yep.

That'll work.

Last night I put the ornaments on. I've always loved those really beautiful themed trees...the ones with all gold, or all artificial birds, or all glass balls (giggle...sorry, I'm a moron), or even the ones with fake candles...but I've never had one. I've always kept the same old ornaments and used them for years. Only a few of the ornaments match (mainly because I got them on sale), many are old, and some I only keep because you're supposed to hang something on the back of the tree.

BUT, I have a special memory for each one. It's weird, but each ornament has a meaning for me...whether because I made it a long time ago, someone special gave it to me, I got it at a special place, or whatever the deal...each one is special.

Some were made by friends that have moved away.



Some I made myself during that 'crafts instead of a boyfriend' phase.



Some were given to me as gifts from family members' travels.


Some remind me of the more flexible days of my youth.


Some I made back in girl scouts.


Some were given to us on our first Christmas. Ryan's best friend and his wife gave us this one.


One was given to me by someone I didn't even like.
I had a part time job in high school and there was this lady that I swore hated me. (Although I wasn't that fond of her, either.) One Christmas she made these and gave one to each of us. That year I realized that there's a little good in everyone...even if you only see it one day a year.


Some I got in yard sales.
I got this guy when it was just me and Mom. We decided that we wanted new ornaments so we bought a bunch of them at yard sales (money was pretty tight). This little guy? I LOVE. And I will never get rid of him.



Some were painted on a craft day with Granny.


Some were given to me by relatives long since gone.
My great-great-aunt Verneda gave me this when I was about ten or eleven. She made the best tea cakes and sweet pickles.


For some reason I always put my angels gathered toward the top of the tree.
I think of it as my'host of angels'.


And...some ornaments might not get to see next Christmas.


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