Christmas Tree Evolution
When I was growing up, we believed that Santa brought our Christmas tree. This meant another trip for Santa but he never seemed to mind. The tree arrived, as if by magic, several days before Christmas. I would come down the stairs to find the long-needled pine tree dripping with tinsel and decorated with colored balls and multi-colored lights. I can remember thinking it was a great surprise. My sister would go through all kinds of gyrations the night before the tree arrived to get me to go to sleep. I was pretty gullible and didn’t put it all together until many years later.
In my lifetime, I have had a series of relationship challenges. One significant area of these relationships involved how we chose to decorate our Christmas trees. I like to think of this as a series of chapters in my book of life.
Chapter 1 involved Clay and me. Clay loved Christmas and enjoyed creating original decorations. He was artistic and talented. For our first tree, we purchased Styrofoam balls that we decorated with multiple colored velvet ribbons with accents of rick rack in gold or silver. We used a combination of colors and completed several dozen ornaments to start. With white lights on the tree and these strategically placed ornaments, we had an elegant tree. Each year we would add a few more ornaments. Visitors would ooh and aah about how beautiful the decorations were.
Chapter 2 was a different story. Lou did not like Christmas. He said it was too commercial and cost too much. He did not believe in cutting down trees or spending money on expensive materials to decorate the trees. We would purchase a tree in a pot with a root ball to be planted in the yard after Christmas. We didn’t keep the trees in the house for long so they would survive. I would string popcorn and cranberries. I made the ornaments by using the recipe of flour, salt, and water. The dough was rolled out and Hallmark cookie cutters were used to make Santas, Snowmen, Angels, and Trees. They were baked and then hand-painted. I tied green and red plaid bows, white lights, and my handmade cookies. The look was interesting and unique. Of course, the preparation was all done by me with no effort on his part.
Chapter 3 was a completely different story. Chris loved Christmas and he enjoyed collecting the Hallmark Christmas Ornaments. He started this before our time together and would shop for them all year long. Black Friday, the day after Christmas and flea markets supplied a few additions each year. The tree would be loaded with these collectibles and accented with white lights and white shimmery bows.
Chapter 4 presented a total change in theme. Michael and I were married in 1986. The first ornament we acquired was a shell with a sea otter wearing a Santa hat. We bought it at a little shop in Carmel, California. It always reminded us of the romantic walk on the beach, under a full moon, the night we were engaged. As time went on we continued to pick up ornaments wherever we traveled. Each ornament held a special meaning and brought back a memory. In 1988 we added “Baby’s first Christmas”. We found Bouvier des Flandres ornaments celebrating our dogs. If the Badgers had a great year, we added Rose Bowl ornaments to the tree. Packer ornaments are placed in several places. Hockey and golf also enjoy their spots. When we decorate the tree, we enjoy a walk down memory lane. We add strings of wooden cranberries and white lights. This was the first year I didn’t have Michael with me to put on the lights. My sister came to help me and I observed for a quick lesson. Our customary angel takes her place as a tree topper and Christmas begins.
Remember, “It’s not the things we do at Christmastime, but the Christmas things we do all year through.”
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