Because I spent the first two weeks of December in Wyoming, most of the decorating for the holidays was done prior to my departure. I knew I would enjoy my time away IF I were close enough to being ready for Christmas that I could easily finish up when I returned; otherwise, I would stress over the entire time I was gone. I had decorated a small tree for the upstairs hearth area, and a second small one for the front entry near the grandchildren's bedroom. We saved the big tree, which we set up in the downstairs family room, for my return.
The day after I got home, Steve and I set up the big artificial tree, complete with the lights, and then Britt and Ky came and helped me decorate it that evening. I think we've begun a new tradition! Not only was it much more fun to have them help me but it went so much faster than when I do it myself. (It takes forever to hang "three zillion" icicyles!) Working with my granddaughters to decorate the tree prompted numerous discussions concerning the meaning of the various ornaments, and I thought it might be fun to document some of those discussions here for posterity's sake.
While our current trees tend to look more "commercial" than "homespun," I assured the girls that much sentiment is attached to every ornament or "scheme."
When we returned home, Ky informed me that she had made some gifts for me and had wrapped them and left them on the seat to my office chair "to be opened before Christmas." I waited until the next day so she could be here to watch me open them. She had made the cutest little green tree out of pipe cleaners, and decorated it with additional pipecleaners in bright colors. She had fashioned a second "Nana" ornament that looks similar to my rendition of a "stick woman." CUTE! Finally, she had made a popcorn chain herself with popcorn she had Papa pop for her. I asked if I could put the little tree and the Nana ornament on the greenery of my "boot" in the kitchen area, since that's where I spend so much of my time (instead of the downstairs tree where I would see it much less often). She agreed. You can see them by clicking on the "boot" photo to enlarge it. The "old woman in the shoe boot" is a favorite item I bought at a semi-annual sidewalk sale at The Thicket (a local shop that is one of my favorites). We hung the popcorn chain in the very top of the big tree downstairs, as Ky suggested.
I had a dear friend named Rosa. She was the mother of nine children and I knew most of them well, also. Rosa died of cancer several years ago. Her daughters were wonderful to share with me a couple of the things Rosa had made. They also asked me if I would like the sample books of European lace given to Rosa by a friend of hers who sold it. I was surprised that Rosa's daughters (who, like Rosa, crafted such things as dolls, rabbits, etc.) didn't want them but they assured me they did not. I was thrilled! I removed all the lace from the (I think) 3 or 4 sample packs and have used them for MANY events ever since, including placing the lace on the branches of the big tree every Christmas. I think the lace looks like snow and, if you look carefully, you can see that each piece of lace is a unique pattern. I used this same lace, along with white roses, pearls and ivy, to decorate the tables at the wedding rehearsal dinner for our older son (10 years ago) and daughter-in-law. It does, indeed, have sentimental value.
Also on the big tree are precious ornaments that were hand-crocheted by my Mother and Grandmother. A number of years ago, the two of them came to Springfield in November for a visit. They weren't able to come often and had not been that close to Christmas before, so we celebrated Christmas early in order to include them. While they were here, we visited a local floral and design studio to look at their beautiful trees and window displays. One of the trees featured hand-crocheted bells. I loved them but remember that they were $6 each, and I knew that buying enough to decorate a tree with them was not in my budget. When we left that store, Grandma asked if we had a craft store close. I said, "Yes," and asked what she needed. She replied, "Oh never mind, just a little something I want to look for."
When we left the craft store, Grandma had a small package that contained an unknown purchase. When we arrived home and I was busy fixing dinner, I noticed Grandma in the other room working away with her crochet hook and thread. She had bought a styrofoam bell form and was making a pattern for crocheted bells. For the rest of the week-long visit, whenever we were not busy doing something else, both Grandma and Mother were busy crocheting bells, as well as snowflakes and wreaths. Needless to say, now that neither Mother nor Grandma are still with us, these ornaments they made are priceless!
I love music and things that represent it. Over the years I have collected ornaments that range from ballerinas to musical instruments, to carousel horses and angels. A friend who was viewing the tree a couple of nights ago said, "Oh I love your hand-blown crystal ornaments!" To which I replied, "Oh, Kathy, they are not hand-blown crystal; they are acrylic. They can't break and hurt the grandchildren and the grandchildren can't hurt them! But they are beautiful, aren't they?" This year, we added some red ornaments and "feathers" that I thought were interesting, for a bit of variety.
Also on the tree are a number of little pearls rings or loops. Several years ago a friend game me a large box of items that she and her two daughters had owned, with the instruction to use them however I wanted or share them with whomever. They knew there were always young girls at the church I used to attend that were in need of "things." Most of the items in the box were "standard fare" in terms of skirts, pants, sweaters, etc., but one item was of particular interest. Not only could I think of NO ONE I knew that would wear such a thing, but I couldn't imagine that my friend OR her daughters ever wore it. I can't imagine where it came from and I don't even know what to call it, despite my having "googled" several word strings to try and determine what it would be called. I have friends in the fashion design department at MO State University who likely would know, but the University is on break now, so I shall simply try to describe it.
It was something that looked like a woman who really, REALLY wanted to accentuate her bustline might wear over a tight-fitting sweater. It had a choker and then a "pearl bra" of sorts that went over the bustline and hooked in the back. From the choker to the chain that ran around the bottom of the "bra," there were vertical strands of pearls that ran around the entire "bra." As I said, I couldn't imagine anyone actually wearing anything like that, so I tried to decide what to do with it. The pearl loops on our annual big tree is the result! I took my trusty pliers and disconnected every single strand of pearls, and then reconnected them to form the loops. The girls got a kick out of that story!
The small tree in the front entry near the grandchildren's room is decorated with the grandchildren in mind. In Ky's bedroom in our former home, I had her bed arranged kitty corner and had an alpine tree erected in the corner behind it which I decorated with non-Christmas-themed ornaments such as the Beatrix Potter ornaments shown here. She loved to have me turn the white twinkly lights on when she was ready for bed and she would go to sleep with them on. I had collected some Anri wooden bells and some Anri angels, as had my Mother-in-law, and when she died, I inherited some of hers, so those, too, are included on this tree. I doubt that many people put ivy on their Christmas trees, but I love it, and used it on both small trees this year. Yup, this is the same ivy I've used MANY times, including Gary's and Sara's wedding rehearsal dinner.
When we built our new home, Ky asked me if she could bring her tree to her new bedroom. I told her I had something else in mind for the new room that I thought she would like, and I would be sure to include lights she could go to sleep by. Another collection I inherited from my Mother-in-law was these precious Anri ornaments that are "celestial" themed and feature young children. (You can click the photo to enlarge it and get a better look.)
I used the shutter-shelf as a type of window "cornice" above the children's window seat.
Finally, I like to have a small tree in the hearth area upstairs so it feels "Christmasy" in the part of the house where I spend most of my time. This tree also has the ivy I love and features a collection of wooden birds and nests with eggs that, once again, I've used MANY times in decorating for various events.
My friend Susan and I used to be asked to decorate for almost all of the events hosted by our college when I worked at MSU; we loved doing so. Someone once remarked that we must collect roosters. We laughed and said, "Oh, yes, roosters and lots of other things." The benefits of loving to garage-sale!
Last evening (Christmas Eve), following dinner and before the opening of the stocks and gifts, our three grandchildren presented the following story which helped us to understand the meaning behind many of the things that symbolize Christmas:
SANTA SAYS, "TEACH THE CHILDREN"Just a week before Christmas I had a visitor. This is how it happened...I just finished the household chores for the night and was preparing to go to bed, when I heard a noise in the front of the house. I opened the door to the front room and to my surprise, Santa himself stepped out from behind the Christmas tree.
He placed his finger over his mouth so I would not cry out. "What are you doing?" I started to ask. The words choked up in my throat, and I saw he had tears in his eyes. His usual jolly manner was gone.
Gone was the eager, boisterous soul we all know. He then answered me with a simple statement. "TEACH THE CHILDREN!" I was puzzled; what did he mean?
He anticipated my question, and with one quick movement brought forth a miniature toy bag from behind the tree. As I stood bewildered, Santa said, "Teach the children! Teach them the old meaning of Christmas. The meaning that now-a-days Christmas has forgotten."
Santa then reached in his bag and pulled out a FIR TREE and placed it before the mantle. "Teach the children that the pure green color of the stately fir tree remains green all year round, depicting the everlasting hope of mankind, all the needles point heavenward, making it a symbol of man's thoughts turning toward heaven."
He again reached into his bag and pulled out a brilliant STAR. "Teach the children that the star was the heavenly sign of promises long ago. God promised a Savior for the world, and the star was the sign of fulfillment of His promise."
He then reached into his bag and pulled out a CANDLE. "Teach the children that the candle symbolizes that Christ is the light of the world, and when we see this great light we are reminded of He who displaces the darkness."
Once again he reached into his bag and removed a WREATH and placed it on the tree. "Teach the children that the wreath symbolizes the real nature of love. Real love never ceases. Love is one continuous round of affection."
He then pulled from his bag and ornament of HIMSELF. "Teach the children that I, Santa Claus symbolize the generosity and good will we feel during the month of December."
He then brought out a HOLLY LEAF. "Teach the children that the holly plant represents immortality. It represents the crown of thorns worn by our Savior. The red holly represents the blood shed by Him."
Next he pulled from his bag a GIFT and said, "Teach the children that God so loved the world that he gave..." "Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift. Teach the children that the wise men bowed before the holy babe and presented him with gold, frankincense and myrrh. We should always give gifts in the same spirit of the wise men."
Santa then reached in his bag and pulled out a CANDY CANE and hung it on the tree. "Teach the children that the candy cane represents the shepherds' crook. The crook on the staff helps to bring back strayed sheep to the flock. The candy cane is the symbol that we are our brother's keeper."
He reached in again and pulled out an ANGEL. "Teach the children that it was the angels that heralded in the glorious news of the Savior's birth. The angels sang Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace and good will toward men."
Suddenly I heard a soft twinkling sound, and from his bag he pulled out a BELL. "Teach the children that as the lost sheep are found by the sound of the bell, it should ring mankind to the fold. The bell symbolizes guidance and return."
Santa looked back and was pleased. He looked back at me and I saw that the twinkle was back in his eyes. He said, "Remember, teach the children the true meaning of Christmas and do not put me in the center, for I am but a humble servant of the One that is, and I bow down to worship Him, our Lord, our God."
--- Author Unknown
As we celebrate this special season of giving, may we always remember that "Jesus is the Reason for the Season." Merry Christmas!
We've all heard the phrase, "Be careful what you ask for." I smiled when that saying came to my mind yesterday. Let me explain.
