Oh Christmas Tree I never want to take you down! People tell me that if I don't take the tree down it won't be as magical, and maybe that's true but I have always wanted to find out. I have some serious traditions around the Christmas tree and I thought now that there are piles of presents under it, this would be a good time to talk about it.
For me our tree is like a scrapbook full of memories, we have an artificial tree because well, living in Florida if we put our tree up in November it would be dead and buried by Christmas. We bought this pre-lit tree last year and it has a little remote that switches the lights from white to multi-colored and a couple of fun options in between. We rearrange the room so that the tree is the focal point and I like that you can see it glowing in the window from the street! Tamy unwraps the ornaments for me and I place them each with care on the tree, and as I hang ornaments I tell stories, where I got certain ornaments, who I got them from and for how long I've had them. The story telling is such a huge part of the tradition!
I have sections of the tree where I group my Run Disney ornaments that represent all the races I've run, I have sections with favorite characters or characters that have crossed my path at work and I formed a special bond with. They all have a story and they all mean something. We add new ornaments every year we typically pick them out together or give them to each other as gifts and these ornaments are based on favorite characters, events that took place, trips we went on etc. I have added an ornament with this year on it, I won it but I also think it's really important to be represented - think of the stories I'll tell in the future when I hang that 2020 ornament on the tree.
I have ornaments that have been around for a long time. The apple pictured above my mom painted it has hung on a tree in my home for as long as I can remember, The mouse in the mailbox has a date sticker 1982! I also have ornaments from when my mom was a little girl and all of these make me think of family stories, and how my mom used to decorate the tree with red and gold lights and predominately red and gold ornaments. I have ornaments, that though I think they are scary, (see above clown) I can never get rid of because my grandmother gave them to me and I will treasure them and laugh as I hang it on the back of the tree.
We have ornaments that remind us of our wedding, ornaments that will tell people I really like coffee, there is a whole section devoted to coffee cups and Starbucks, I have my treasured Lord & Taylor shopping bag which always brings back treasured memories of standing in front of their window at Christmas time in awe of the holiday displays and the countless visits we made to the New Jersey store. I have ornaments from friends who are always in my heart and represented on the tree and all of these make me so happy. For me it's not just a tree full of just ornaments, it's part of my story, our story. We both brought ornaments into the mix and together we created magic. How does your tree represent you? Does it tell your story?
Of course the tree will come down shortly after January 6 and it will come down faster than it went up and I will be sad but no matter how much this year has taken from us, it hasn't taken away our stories, our memories and the feeling of Christmas. This Christmas will be a memorable one there is no doubt about it, I choose to remember it as a year of growth, a year of reconnecting, a year of finding how who you need in your life and how you can keep them there and a year where there was a lot of time at home to really learn and grow individually and as a family. It doesn't have to all be bad especially if we believe things will be better and I do believe that things will get better. It's a lot of pressure for this tree but as it stands tall and proud it is full of hope, magic, memories and love. I hope you find all of these things in your home this holiday season and for many more to come.