Oh Christmas Tree!

This year's Christmas tree. I hauled up the tree in pieces, squeezed myself between artificial tree limbs to go on a scavenger hunt to find plugs for twinkle lights and an outlet for them. I then vacuumed up paper pine needles before getting to the fun part: decorating. My ornaments are a smorgasbord of memories. I still have the ornaments my mother's friend, Elaine, gave me to when I was kid. I still have the clothespin toy solider I made in kindergarten. I have placed that clothespin on Christmas trees for more than 40 years and every time I see it, I think, I did not do a good job making this toy solider. I have all the ornaments that I got in the ornament exchange during the YMCA cycling class I used to regularly attend. 

An ornament my mother's friend, Elaine, gave me many, many years ago.

One of my favorite ornaments I got during the YMCA cycling class' ornament exchange.

The clothespin toy solider I shoddily make in kindergarten. 

 

Even the tree topper has some memories. It is a Santa hat with my name in cursive glitter. My mom made it along with one for my sister. When I was living in Salida, Co, working as a reporter, I set up my first Christmas in the duplex I was renting. My mother kindly gave me all my childhood ornaments but I didn't have a tree topper so I got creative and put my Santa hat on the tallest bough. It's been a tradition ever since.  

I have always love decorating Christmas trees. I still remember the year my sister came up with her own infamous jingle of "Oh Christmas Tree" when we moved from freshly cut pine trees to artificial ones. I remember helping my mom thread garlands of popcorn and cranberries. And I remember the awe I felt when it was dark and the tree lights blinked on and that conifer tree was suddenly bedecked in glittery light.  

Even now, after all these years, I still get a warm feeling looking at a lit up Christmas tree. Some things just never loose their magic.