I asked the question on twitter recently - theme tree or anything goes tree?. The majority of those who responded answered 'anything goes' tree. Coincidentally (I think not) the majority of those who answered are also scrapbookers. We like our stories.
As I pull my ornaments of the boxes each year, I'm flooded with warm and happy memories. I can't imagine ever trading that for a theme tree with no history.
The Santa ornament is a treasure passed down from my Grandma Laakso - her tree was covered with them, purchased in a set of 24 or 36, I'm sure. I used to lay on the floor and imagine them coming to life after everyone went to bed for the night. They bring back my childhood.
Decorating our tree each year is like visiting with old and dear friends. As I hang a special ornament, it's like I'm enjoying a little visit right there in my living room.
Both of these ornaments were handmade and mailed from overseas from special friends in Finland whom I miss dearly.
In Part II, after the holidays, I'll share the gene I inherited from my Aunt Mary. This family knows that nobody takes down the tree but me. They learned that lesson thoroughly the year they thought they were helping. They try, poor things.
This ornament was hand crafted by my friend Melanie
If I know Melanie - she has an ornament similar to this one hanging on her tree as well. We made them when we were young girls of about 7 or 8 (or 9?) one evening at our friend Mari's house when it was her turn for Busy Bees (Busy Bees refers to a group of Sunday School girls who get together to learn a new craft) That was when Mari's family lived above a little store in Mohawk and the groups were small enough that we had Busy Bees in homes rather than renting gyms.
Some ornaments bring forth more emotion than others. This one, for instance - reminds me of my year in Finland - before email and cell phones and how alone I felt during the holidays but how lifted up I was by those packages from home. My dear friend Becky, who's been gone from us for 9 year already, made a year round series of ornaments for me to hang from my little Charlie Brown Christmas tree in my room far away. When I pull this out I remember that year, and I remember - and miss - Becky.
When I look about my tree, we have quite a few ornaments that remind us of those loved ones now gone. This one represents Greg's older brother who died serving our country - the year 1991 is stitched on the other side. We have two on our tree and they remind us of Tom, but also of my father-in-law who was a mail carrier for many years.
Then there's this ornament that represents Papa. Papa's been gone for 11 years already if I'm recalling correctly. He had been over our house for Allan's third birthday, went for a walk around the block - he was feeling that good, and he died just two days later. Papa loved the pipe.
We have quite a bit of granny and papa on our tree. They were always making gifts - quilts, hats, teddy bears, hot pads, you name it. In later years they made ornaments. This one is going to have a new note attached to it when it gets packed away this year. I still giggle remembering the exchange between Brian and Wendy (at the bottom). Our dead granny! heee.
My granny made ornaments as well. Her's is the one in the back and mine is the one in the front. I've made a few of these for our own kids - a tradition carried on and a beginning of their collection. I believe this one has Wendy's name written on it.
And this one has Brian's. If I don't make an ornament one year - then my husband will. Each kid has their own box of ornaments (complete with some Auntie Mary instilled in them) that they put on the tree, and take off the tree and repackage themselves.
This is another ornament from my gran's tree. Come to think of it - her's was a theme tree - Santa's and Sequins. But the same ornaments on my tree are memories. Fascinating.
A few more before I wrap this post up...
This ornament reminds me of Allan's kindergarten teacher who is now Wendy's 3rd grade social studies teacher.
This ornament reminds me of my many walks downtown, a favorite store and an annual bit of holiday indulgence. We have a few ornaments from that store on our tree. I collect cardinal ornaments (oddly - I didn't photograph any of those to share) and have picked up more than a few downtown.
And the obligatory 'first Christmas' ornament of which we have three. This is my favorite tho - I like the window thing going on and the cardinals, of course. The kids enjoy a giggle when they pull this one out each year.
And the pickle. That was Allan's ornament one year and the start of a new tradition. We play the whole 'whoever finds the pickle ornament first' game and they get to open the first gift. Of course, Santa completely forgot to hide the ornament last year and that didn't go over very well at all - so this year the pickle has been hung high and prominent as a reminder to me Santa.
The little girl was Wendy's first ornament.
The poorly photographed cardinal was the one I purchased for myself one year (I only allow myself to buy one/year) and it reminds me of a similar one we had growing up. I remember loving that ornament that clipped on the tree rather than hung - and now we have our own.
The angel on the very top - the one that Brian insisted must go there - was a gift from a neighbor in our first home - a neighbor who we still exchange holiday greetings with.
It's a memory tree - and I wouldn't/couldn't change it for anything.
