After Thanksgiving Day, our Christmas tree traditionally goes up. We take out and bring the boxes upstairs from the basement and the ornaments go on it. Our Christmas tree has a twist to it: the ornaments visitors see when they enter our home -- most of our decorations are black-oriented.
The angel that sits on top of our tree: An African-American woman draped in gold with a crown and a wand. The branches are covered with rocking horses with black children, black angels playing musical instruments, elves, Santas, and Mrs. Clauses. A few branches below that are ornaments made by my children and items (like Sesame Street characters, Frosty the Snowman, angels with baby photos, and a black Barbie ballerina) commemorating their births. The ornament reunion has started.
The ornaments that I treasure are the ones received from my bowling teammates over their years. There's the mouse teacup where the "mommy mouse" bakes cookies and a bulb from my string of lights serve as the oven's light. Then there's Patty's nutcracker. (She died a few years ago from cancer.) Can't forget Liz's funky Santa with a photographic stomach. There's Ann's snowman that sits in my window. Ginny's music box Christmas tree. And Patti always comes up with an amazing homemade ornament. Last year, she baked out of clay an amazing Santa in gold. My children can't believe that exchanging gifts for our trees is our long-standing tradition. We've been doing this for nearly 20 years.
I also have ornaments from my first X-mas tree in my first apartment. My daughters think the plastic rocking horses, angels, and reindeer are made of real glass. My little one has to have Dora, Boots, and the rest of the gang on the tree. My high school friend Sandie bought me a door knocker when I purchased my home that has to hang our tree each year. As well as the music box that plays a medley of holiday songs.
What's my favorite ornament? I don't really have one. The thing I love about our tree is that it reminds me how far we have come as a family. Each ornament marks a special time in my life. My daughters's handmade snowflakes and pipe cleaner candy canes and trees highlighted in glitter.
I chuckle as I remember my kids having a "heated" debate about which ornament goes where. This year, my eldest placed Mary and Joseph under the tree with Baby Jesus. She was proud. I also noticed their sense of accomplishment when the tinsel finally was placed on the tree and the lights came on. Our work was done.
There was not one gift under the tree, but the spirit of Christmas was already in our home.
Posted By: Marsha Jones
Tuesday, December 1st 2009 at 11:08AM
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