We I set up our Christmas tree this weekend. Back when we had no kids and no money, we bought a bargain of a fake tree.
I was always against fake trees, but hubby insisted on it and it wasn't the hill I wanted to die on.
I think we bought the display tree at KMart. It is not pre-lit and doesn't particularly fool the eye into thinking it is anything resembling a real tree.
For the past few years, we have talked about shopping the after Christmas sales for a new fake-but-more-real-looking-easier-to-set-up-possibly-even-pre-lit Christmas tree.
However, by the day after Christmas, I'm usually pretty pooped, so putting in the effort to find the right tree for the right price is not high on my list.
Anyhoo, my bloggy friend Nicole posted about her favorite ornaments on her tree and I thought would share a few of my favorites.
I have friends with "designer" trees that are carefully decorated with matching ornaments and look like they could be in a Macy's window.
Not us.
We go for the white trash mix and match sentimental look. We have a varied collection of ornaments that have been growing since before the day we said, "I do."
This one is heartfelt for obvious reasons. During the holiday season of 2001 I bought this flag ornament and wrote the "why" on a sticker on the back.
Not that we will ever forget. But I want our children to remember too.
During my junior year of college, I studied abroad in Israel and Greece for three weeks.
We toured major places from the Bible in Israel and followed Paul's missionary journeys in Greece.
I bought this ornament in Bethlehem. A pretty memorable time to walk where our King was born.
When I was on my mission trip to Russia two years ago, we stayed in the nicest hotel available near our rural little orphanage.
People, you have no idea how good we have it. Most rooms only had two beds and a sink with cold water and a toilet. Our group shared three showers that each had only a five gallon hot water heater -divided up between 16 people equals: burrrrr!
The hotel staff were what made it delightful. They were always pleasant and kind - even though we couldn't communicate without a translator.
On our last day, the women working there brought out a tray of gifts for each of us to choose from. They were all hand-made, basket woven types of gifts and there were all different kinds to pick from. I chose these shoes.
They hang on my tree and when I look at them, I remember that we are all God's people, no matter what we hear on the news.
Who can resist this cutie pie?
Posts
i love that you bought a patriotic ornament in 2001, too!
ReplyDeletei dream of a new tree that is more realistic and has lights attached...someday.
thanks for playing along!
You were and are my cutie pie! I am so glad that a small gift from a few years ago still means a lot to you. We all have had so many gifts from years gone by that we can't even remember. I hope we all remember that the best gift we can give each other is the love that we are always able to express on any day of the year. I tried to always tell my children that I loved them every day! Love, Mom
ReplyDeletelove the idea of sharing ornaments. i might have to copy/steal it : )
ReplyDeleteand yes, you were and still are a cutie pie!!
and i forgot that you had gone on that israel trip as well....kevin and i are kicking ourselves years later for not buying a manger scene or something from bethlehem!
love ya
I love mishmash ornaments - that's the only way I'll ever decorate our tree. A lot of ours have been made from the boys and given to us as gifts which make them even more meaningful. I'll take white trash trees over Macy's any day!
ReplyDeletemix and match is so much more interesting anyway... as we decorate the tree each year, I recite the origin of each ornament for my children, hoping that some memory of the story will remain in years to come.
ReplyDelete