Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree

Growing up, one of the highlights of the year was getting a tree and decorating it for Christmas. Seeing those once-a-year ornaments was like seeing old friends every year. There was the Santa and Mrs. Claus wooden ornament that my sister had to position facing the fireplace every year. She did this so that Santa would see it and feel especially honored and welcomed as soon as he came down our chimney. Mom still hangs that one, and I am pretty sure my sister always makes sure Santa will still see it.

I remember going with my Grandpa into the woods and cutting down the tree for his and my grandmother's living room. It was more like a prickly little cedar bush, but it was still fun. And when I got to be an older child/young teen, he would cut one for me to have in my room. You could hardly decorate it without injury unless you wore gloves, but I will never forget those trees! That's such a special part of Christmas...celebrating the birth of Jesus with the ones you love.

As our children are growing, I love being able to look at our tree and enjoy the memories of their earlier childhood days. I love the ornament Jason and I bought for our first Christmas together and had personalized. We bought it at a little Christmas shop in Boone, NC when we were visiting my sister who was in college there.

My tree is not going to be in any magazines and most things don't match, but it is the most beautiful tree in the world to me. It is filled with the memories of my marriage and my children's lives. Here are a few of the ornaments I love.

This is actually a new one. Each year at Thanksgiving the women in my family do an ornament exchange. This year I ended up with the one from my sister-in-law, Liz. I love it! Not many ornaments are crosses, but it's a beautiful reminder of why Christ had to come in the first place. I hung it in a place where you just can't miss it!

These little slippers were made by one of the older special needs children at Betsie's orphanage in Zhuzhou, China. We bought them when we visited the orphanage three days after we got her. They look so pretty on the tree.

I think this is Rachel's hand when she was two. I have Mary Evelyn's handprint as well. I plan to make a handprint ornament for Betsie sometime this week.

Below are a few of the photo ornaments of my sweet girls that I also love. We have several others.

I also love the Sunday School crafty ornaments that adorn our tree. I could never get rid of these. (Even though poor Joseph is backwards in this first one...maybe he was headed out to find some swaddling clothes?)

Last but not least is our tree topper. Not some fancy glittery angel or star or bow. But Mary Evelyn's three-year-old handprints formed into an angel. And her little fingerprints making the red hair. I made angels like these for my mom a few years ago and this was a goof up because the wings are upside down! But that is part of this angel's charm so I kept it. I keep meaning to buy a nice store bought tree topper, but if I ever do, this angel will still have a prominent place in our home.

Merry Christmas!