Oh, Christmas Tree, Oh, Christmas Tree....

I love my tree. Every year it seems to take longer and longer to put my tree up. I'm not sure if I'm getting older and slower or have accumulated more and more ornaments, or I am just reminiscing too much as I decorate. (Okay, so all that is true!)

I have some very nice, expensive ornaments. I have some not so nice ones. I have OLD ones and new ones. I have some that go on the tree each year and some that never make it to the tree. Each one has a special place in my heart whether it is on the tree or left in the bin. I still take it out and think about when I got it.... who gave it to me, where we lived, what we were doing. The memories flood my mind. At times, I giggle and smile. Other times, I am filled with love and gratitude. Some bring a sadness because the person who gave it to me is gone.

Here are a very few of my special memories...

This is a wooden moon with a little angel. It was given to me almost 40 years ago and goes on my tree every year.

This one of Baby Jesus is also a hand painted wooden ornament given to me the same time as the moon. It also goes up every year. A very special person gave them to me. She is a pastor's wife and was a friend of my mama.

These are a few of my special ones.... an olive wood Jerusalem Cross I got in Bethlehem and some an old green ornament from mama's tree and some Shiny Brites... a few "newer" ones that reflect different places we have lived.

One of my favorite ones of Baby Jesus...

Some other favorites (which really is ALL the ornaments on the tree). On the left is my newest one. It is a Santa snowball that I got just this morning from my gkids. The snowman was a gift from Hugsum a few years ago. The red bell was one of mama's.

This is a favorite of our grandson. It's a fish we got in Destin one year. I also have some shells.

I have several of these handmade ornaments. This one was made by a friend. It is like we put on the Chrismon tree because it is a Christian symbol and is gold and white.

A sock monkey, a quilted block made for me after our 4th child was born and a star. It was very inexpensive, but is one of my favorite things.

A tatted snowflake given to us the first year we were in the ministry when our oldest son was not quite a year old.

This is a paper star. (I'd love to know how to make them.) It was on my mama's tree, too. It has lots of special memories.

Our tree....

Lots more stories and special ornaments and stories - maybe to be shared at another time.
Blessings on your Christmas celebration. May it bring joy and peace and happiness!