I had a great Thanksgiving: spending time with my parents, ran a race, and just vegged. Saturday I came home, got the decorations and tree out and started decorating the house. I love this time of year, the festive decorations, the Christmas carols, parties…it all makes it so special.
Every year I set up my Christmas tree (all pre lit lights since I HATE putting lights on the tree) and then line out all of the decorations. I know some people have a certain “look” to their tree but me, well, I like to keep it nostalgic. I have ornaments from so many people, so many parts of my life, that I like to remember as I put them up. There is the wooden teddy bear that my Grandpa made me. Every year I look at it, remember how he loved his wood working, how he let me paint the details and how he made so many things in his shop in the basement. He took such pride in those items and I hang it with pride year after year.
There are my Coke ornaments: one from a former roommate, one from an ex-boyfriend. The two ceramic ornaments that I got from a secret Santa in high school, the one I bought because it looks like my Punky cat, the Chicago Bears ornament because I’m a die hard fan and the nursing ornaments. Those are crazy because for a good majority of my growing up, and into my first years of college, I wanted to be a nurse. So, I got a few ornaments of that nature.
There are the ones from when I was born, some my mom made for me and many more that have so much meaning to them. So not only has this become a Christmas tree, it’s a memory tree. As I hang each one, as I look them over throughout the season, I smile at the good times I had with the people that gave me the ornaments and I cry for those that have left this world because I miss them.
This Christmas season, I suggest that you take time to remember past holidays, people that may not be in your life anymore. Laugh, smile, cry…remember.
misssillyyak 