This year the folks at geneabloggers.com have decided to host another Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories prompt. There is a prompt for each day between Dec 1 and Dec 25. You can find details at Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories (ACCM). Pick up your pen and join the fun!
Our Christmas Trees
Our family Christmas tree story is an evolving one, it has never stayed static for many years. When I was in my informative years, we lived in Scottsdale Arizona. I am not sure where the trees came from maybe Northern Az, Colorado or points north. What I am sure of is the were pretty much dry when our family went out to find a tree on Christmas Eve or the day before that, depending on the time of the week in which those days fell. Way back when the stores weren’t open on the weekend or where only open on Saturday. The tree was hard to find, by that time they were pretty much picked over and dry. Then there is the is the problem of agreeing on the Christmas tree that was a feat all of its own. Once the decision was final, when we then purchased the tree. Put into the trunk of the car or tied atop and we were on our way.
With the sad lil tree, can you say Charlie Brown, on its way to a new place of honor to stand. On Christmas eve it would be stood up and put in its holder the tree was then watered. Silently the tree waited for Santa to decorate it that night, while everyone slept. So much like Charlies lonely sad little tree, when Santa touched it, it became a gloriously handsome tree standing up straight and proud and the presents made the tree look even grander. If I recall there was one tree that had was tied to a cup hook in the corner so it would not fall…as it had fallen, with which two little girls exclaimed in unison WE DID NOT TOUCH THE TREE! That time we were telling the truth or maybe I should say at that moment we were not touching the tree.
That tradition quickly changed when one year , my grandparents came from Ohio to visit us in Arizona. There was so much excitement in the air, two little girls had a hard time sleeping. We lived in apartment complex and our bedroom widow lined up with one across the street which in turn reflexed a strange scene to us …. Santa? in the next room decorating the tree….what to our wondering eyes should appear, wellll it sure wasn’t Santa! Caught red-handed they were! Mom, Dad, Grandpa and Grandpa all decorating the tree. After we spilled the beans and told them what we had seen, we began decorating the tree on Christmas eve before going to bed along with Mom and Dad. Santa still set the gifts out that night. Trish and I would set our presents, made at school usually under the tree for Mom and Dad. This tradition continued until I grew up and left home to start my family.
Our first Christmas tree as a married couple was beeeeauuuuuuuutiful to behold.
It was about 6 foot tall in the stand and probably double that in girth, short little dumpy full tree! Jim and I had so much fun decorating and buying the tree trimmings. We bought something called angel hair to drape on the tree, it was the rage you know. No one bothered to tell us that it was fiberglass and very itchy!!! Shew was that a challenge. We draped the angel hair longs ways down the tree, now it looked 20 ft wide! Still all in all it is a tree that I still remember when there have been so many before and after.
As the children started to come along we started our own traditions, some borrowed from his family and some from mine. We were lucky when the two oldest were little, there was a tree vendor that set up every year at the end of the street. We would go there about the second week of December and pick a tree then take it home and get it decorated, something the kids always loved to do. Jim would deal with the lights and getting it upright in the stand. The decorations then would be put on the tree. Before the kids got taller, I was in charge of the top of the tree. As the week went along the bottom would soon fill up with presents, all to and from each other. Trying to make sure that there was room left for Santa to leave off his gifts on Christmas eve after everyone were snug in their beds.
As the kids got older we took them to a tree farm and we let them pick on their, again it tossed into the trunk or truck and safely delivered home where it would be decorated. For many years we took our niece Kristie with us, she and our youngest were close in age and great buddies. I do miss this part of Christmas.
Now there are no little people in our home and we now have a faux tree. Something I really put a fight up about to no avail. It is perfect ! and just looks wrong, seeing we’ve been known for unique trees.
It has a been a journey full of fun love and adventure.
Till there are more lil ones, Santa and I will enjoy what we have.
Merry Christmas!