Christmas trees and ornaments

Each year we put up 2 trees.  The major tree is in the living room in the front window.  The second tree is in the sun room where we spend so much of our time.  Each is trimmed differently.  The living room tree has an eclectic collection of ornaments.  The Sun Room tree is filled with doll ornaments.

The major joy of putting up the Christmas trees is looking at all the ornaments accumulated over the years.  They come from our travels and hobbies and many of them from family and friends.   These all go on the tree in the window. 

We have a tradition that dates to our first Christmas. A classmate of mine sent us a golden heart ornament with the instructions that this be the first ornament placed on the tree as a reminder of our love.  So, every year since 1970 this is the first ornament on the tree.  We place it together.  Over these years we have given heart ornaments to some of our favorite couples with the same instructions.

There is a group of porcelain ornaments made by our good friend Millie.  She poured, painted and fired them when she was into this hobby.  They were made with love and great talent and are always appreciated.  Carolyn poured a few porcelain ornaments with Mrs. Ely.  One is a Santa face that I painted and it came out well.  Actually I made 2.  I gave one to Nathaniel.  There is also a porcelain snow baby done by my niece—a very talented, artistic lady.

There is a handmade bell done in beads and pearls.  It was made by the mother of a friend and we think of her each year.  The daughter broke our friendship years ago.  Her mother, however, was a very nice lady.  There are also lovebirds from one of my fellows, hand crafted ornaments from various friends, and many from the various stages of my hobbies—counted cross stitch, needle point, and hand painted ornaments.  I have one I made for Mom King and one for Joe. There are even a few made by the children.

There are some from our travels.  There are a couple from Hawaii, San Francisco, the Madame Alexander doll club, and several from Colonial Williamsburg, a charity this ”effete snob” supports, gladly.

Finally, there are several made by my mother-in-law and one by her sister, Aunt Angie.  These are very special and I cannot part with them. 

The second tree started because another good friend learned of our Alexander doll collection and each year sends one of the Hallmark doll ornaments.  I also collected some of these special ornaments.  I have talking ornaments from the “Wizard of Oz”.   My favorite is the Wicked Witch screaming “I’m melting!” as she collapses into the floor. When the children were young I used that line, whenever we were in the rain. Of course there are 2 Scarlett O’Hara ornaments—her wedding and the portrait Scarlett.  All of these did not fit on the first tree, so we now have 2 trees each year that provide so much joy.