On Saturday, Jeff and I went to get our tree. It wasn't quite the adventure that it was last year. And it's turned out better than the year before that when our first Christmas tree fell over a day after it was decorated. We managed to pick out a tree--a lovely Scotch pine between 7 and 8 feet--and then get it home and set up without any drama. And it's now glowing beautifully in the corner of our living room.
It's lit with multi-colored lights and it has absolutely no noticeable theme to it, which is what I love about it so much. I see trees with themes all the time--all gold ornaments, silver and red balls, purple everything(eek), etc. I hear people wonder whether their tree matches their decor. But I can't understand. It's a Christmas tree...not a new couch. What I love about our Christmas tree--and the Christmas tree my family decorates in Louisville--is that it tells a story. There are ornaments commemorating my very first Christmas and my first married Christmas. There are ornaments made of felt and glitter glue or tissue paper and school photos that I made when I was much younger. All of the places I've traveled are recalled as I deck the tree with ornaments I picked up in Paris and Prague, Athens and Amsterdam. And friends are remembered as I pick out a branch on which to hang an ornament they gave to me. There's an ornament celebrating Jeff's experience at the College World Series and there an ornament to commemorate my former lives as a cheerleader and a piano student. The tree reflects who we are. As we trimmed the tree, Christmas music playing in the background, we remembered Christmas's past, we reflected on friends and family, we reminisced about trips we had taken, and we shared stories. Our tree is beautiful, but not because it matches our decor. (Although I think Christmas trees match everything!)
Here's a virtual tour of some of the ornaments on our tree.
This ornament was handmade by me in 1989, as it so clearly states in glitter. I made it at a holiday party at my then best friend's house. It's beautiful isn't it?
This ornament is from my Aunt Patricia. She gave it to me a few years ago so that there'd be a bit of Kentucky on my tree regardless of where it is or I am.
Jeff and I got this ornament this past January when we went to Niagara Falls so it's making its debut on our tree. It's a Canadian Mountie with a Canada Goose. How could I have not bought it?
Another ornament making its Christmas tree debut. Jeff and I got this one just last month when we were in Berlin. It's supposed to be a reflector (for a bike or something), but it makes a great ornament and looks awesome reflecting the lights on the tree.
Every year my mom gives me and my brothers a new ornament. The year I got this ornament, the gifts had a nativity theme. I got Mary, since that's my first name. Mark got Joseph since that's his middle name. And Matthew and Gregory got to fight over a shepherd and an angel. Too bad there wasn't a separate Jesus because then Gregory "Jesus" Dowell could have gotten that one and neither one of them would have had to be the angel.
It's hard to take pictures of ornaments on the tree. I can't get the lighting right. But I might post more later, since I love my tree so much.
P.S. Jeff thinks our tree needs a topper. I don't really like toppers, or at least I haven't found many that I like. I told him he could make something out of a toilet paper roll and I'd stick it up there, but so far I haven't seen anything. Your thoughts on toppers?
5 comments:
First of all I can't wait for Sophia's comment. But besides that maybe you should take the skills you learned from making "ornaments made of felt and glitter glue or tissue paper" and make a spectacular topper. There are so many possibilities with that approach.
Your tree is beautiful. I am not real fond of toppers either unless you can find that "perfect one". either they don't stay perfectly straight or they don't fit right or the tree is the wrong size and oyu have to cut off the top or something like that. But if Jeff makes a topper as you suggested, I definitely want to see it.
Each year we top our tree with a lovely angel that was crocheted by Aunt Marie. Then we put a Santa underneath her looking up her skirt. Perverted Santa!
There's not a single Christmas decoration in my apartment, and that's the way I kind of like it. I have a big red bike if that counts for anything.
I was forwarded an email that contained a printout angel that you could cut out and make into an UD angel topper. I passed on that option, especially considering I don't have a tree.
Toppers are pretty stupid if you ask me. i remember the late 80s flashing techno color star we once had topping the tree. I want to say that it was cool. We all know, though, that it was stupid.
Toppers are only cool when you are really small and the top of the tree seems like such a long way up. Then somebody gets to pick you up so you can place it at the top. Now, who didnt like that?
Post a Comment