December 22nd, 2008 | by Bonnie Edwards |
The other day I cranked up the Christmas CD and rocked out to my favorite holiday music. Why? Because I always do that when I decorate my Christmas tree.
It’s my thing. I listen to Dean Martin, Bing Crosby, various choirs and chorales singing their versions of songs for the season and Christmas carols. It’s a personal tradition.
My family, on the other hand, rolls their eyes at the corniness.
But for me, those moments trimming the tree are moments I relive all my previous Christmas seasons. I have ornaments that were old when I was a child. They’re of the finest blown glass I’ve ever seen. I inherited “those old things” from my mom when I moved out of the house and wanted to decorate my first Christmas tree. She saw them as old junk. (Mom loved her new shinies…always!)
So the delicate old bulbs go on the high branches. During that phase of decorating I think of childhood Christmases. I think of my parents, both gone now and sniffle a little. (When it was closer to their passing, I flat out blubbered, and didn’t care.)
Then I add my “Baby’s First Christmas” bulbs that take my mind to the Christmas mornings I watched my little children tear into their packages. Once, my daughter opened the kitchen door to let out our dog and she found!!! LO AND BEHOLD!!! A strip of red velvet adorned with sleigh bells hanging on the back fence. “Santa! Mommy! Santa lost some sleigh bells off his sleigh!”
By then, I’m smiling and singing along to Brenda Lee’s “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree”. The ornaments I use at that point came from my years buying home made ones from craft fairs. You know the kind: cork reindeers, crocheted Santas, I even have some plastic wineglasses with miniature scenes inside them, complete with snow, trees and Santas. (I know it’s kitsch…don’t care, someone made them with their own hands and the funds went to good causes.)
Then, I come to my favorite song, the Harry Simone Chorale’s version of “Little Drummer Boy” and I’m at the bottom of the tree with the unbreakable ornaments. These I bought for all the cats we’ve shared our lives with. I’ve never had a tree that my cats haven’t played under, or my dogs haven’t hit with their tails. The tree shimmies and shakes, but hasn’t fallen over yet. But if it ever does, and if I lose my oldest bulbs from the high branches, it’ll just be another Christmas memory.
My daughter once told me she loved her boyfriend’s house at Christmas time. His mother had “theme” trees. All decorated with expensive bits of this and that: matching, of course, and totally in keeping with the house decor.
Me? Gimme my “memory” tree…that’s my theme, Christmas songs and all. As for my family rolling their eyes at the corniness? One day, seeing me sing along, sniffle and chuckle while decorating will be one of their memories. A happy one, I hope.
Have a happy happy holiday and may your memories bring you joy, even if they bring out a sniffle or two. Sing along, be corny! I think it’s good for the soul.
Bonnie, thanks for sharing the memories. You’ve reminded me of some pleasant ones of my own as well.
And I’m totally with you about those designer theme trees. A tree should reflect a family’s history, and of course some of that is beautiful and some’s a little corny. It makes a perfect mix.
by Susan Lyons · December 22nd, 2008 at 4:16 pmBonnie,
I, too have a “memories” tree. My daughter sighs and they all wonder why I get so sentimental. Mom gave me a lot of the family ornaments for my first tree as a married girl and I still treasure them. When he got married and moved out my oldest son didn’t want any of the ornaments that we have collected for him over the years.
He and his wife have a “themed” tree all red and gold. It’s beautiful, probably more beautiful than mine, but it doesn’t mean nearly what mine does!
by Caron · December 23rd, 2008 at 12:20 amWell, I’m glad I’m not alone in this! Thanks for stopping by at this most busy time of the year.
So, with the theme trees, I wonder what people do when they get one of those “Baby’s first Christmas” bulbs that doesn’t fit the theme? Or if someone gets them a funny cartoon-based ornament? Like a Homer Simpson? Do they ignore it?
And Caron, keep those treasured ornaments…like mine, they’re probably delicate and fragile (some of mine still have the green string attached that my mom tied on instead of hooks!)
Safe travel this year!
Bonnie
by Bonnie Edwards · December 23rd, 2008 at 1:17 pmOMG! Bonnie. I have a dozen of those oh-so-fragile ornaments that I haven’t brought out in years now. I used to have a small table top tree that I would hang them on. When we moved into our new house in 2001, I lovingly packed them away and I haven’t taken them out since.
That was the year we lived with my in-laws for four months. The girls were devastated that we didn’t have “our own tree” but it was a time in my life I’ll always treasure.
I think the cat’s too old and too fat anymore to get on the table. Maybe I’ll take them out tomorrow. They were my great grandmothers and she died in the early 1900′s.
Oh, and themed trees? Bah! Humbug!!
by nightsmusic · December 23rd, 2008 at 7:47 pmOH, NM…fat old cats have next to no interest in 100 year old ornaments. Honest.
I have no idea how old the bulbs are that I have…but a couple are shaped like pagodas (seriously!). Some still have a squirt of that fake snow people used back in the late ’50s early ’60s.
Like I said, they were old when I was a mere child.
Have a merry merry, NM.
May 2009 bring all good things to you and yours.
by Bonnie Edwards · December 23rd, 2008 at 7:53 pmBonnie
A very merry to you too, and your family as well.
And may the new year bring me lots of new novels from you!
by nightsmusic · December 23rd, 2008 at 7:57 pmHow fun, Bonnie!! I love the sleigh bells idea. I hope Santa does that for us.
I’m all about the music and decorating, Bonnie. So I’m right there with ya.
*High Five*
by Shelli Stevens · December 24th, 2008 at 9:48 pmShoot. And I keep forgetting to say…Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays!
by Shelli Stevens · December 24th, 2008 at 9:48 pm