Like this one, on my dining room table. A former employer gave everyone dated silver sleighbells each year for the holidays. On Christmas of the year I was laid off, Amy gave me hers (1996), and after a couple of years, I began ordering my own.
The sleighbells aren’t really our tree. How about this one?
My friend Liz painted this ceramic Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus for my gift in 1978 to bring me into one of her family traditions. I’ve added toys and elves over the years, and I always give the Clauses their own tree. Tucked behind Mrs. Claus is a reindeer I got when I was a little girl. Something ate all the felt off his antlers and his eyes. I replaced the eyes, but the antlers are just wires that hang down, because that makes me laugh. Poor Santa’s paintbrush got broken one year, but the skateboard gets painted all the same. It’s magic!
Okay, here’s our REAL tree. Even as tiny as it is, Tom patiently strings lights on it for hours every year. Most of the ornaments are gifts and there are very few that are duplicated. There are also ornaments from the trees of my childhood and Tom’s. Tim has a stocking tucked away with his ornaments that will make the tree complete when they are added. Needless to say, with a tree this small, I have a lot of ornaments that never get used, but my tree always makes me happy. The absence of gifts under the tree is not because I’m a total Scrooge. I haven’t wrapped yet.
I hope you all have happy and safe holidays, however you celebrate!
All of your trees are beautiful.
Are you guys real or artificial tree people for your biggest one?
Thank you. We use an artificial one now. I think we’ve had this tree four or five years. Before that, I always had real trees, because we lived in larger places or could put the tree in the apartment (before Tim moved there). It was too hard to find real trees that were tall enough but didn’t take much space. We also used to travel more at Christmas, then I limited my decorating to a couple of ornaments on a cactus.
One year when Tom’s family came to Houston, we had a big (real) tree, but I had to take half my furniture out of the living room. I don’t miss the needles, or dogs trying to drink out of the tree stand (that was easier when the dogs were mini dachshunds).
We use an artificial one, too. We got one at a tree farm one year that ended up being full of bugs, so that was the end of real ones for us.
Tom’s family usually picks the “most interesting tree” they can find. I don’t think any have had bugs yet, but they always have plenty of personality.
Your decorations are so lovely (as is your house; love the wall colour and the stained-glass window).
Is that really what is classed as a “small” tree in America? If yes, then there must be a lot of whoppers!
Thanks, Christina. Most people I know who have big houses have huge trees. Even my parents used to have one that’s about four times the girth of this one, which is about six feet tall and very thin–the Uma Thurman of trees, I guess.
Wow…lovely pictures. It really made me smile to see that glimpse into your holiday decor. I am a big sentimentalist over holiday decorations so it’s always fun to see other folks decorations.
Again it all looks simply lovely.
Ps. Have been meaning to mention how nice the new lay out is.
Thank you very much. =)
I never respected my sleighbells
Only you could turn something so silly into something so beautiful.
Re: I never respected my sleighbells
Look at you! Welcome to LJ. I love the photo. =)
Re: I never respected my sleighbells
You’re such a fabulous person, Becky. Thank you for once again inspiring me to do something outside of my comfort zone. I find it interesting that even though our contact has been minimal at times over the years, we have so heavily impacted each other’s lives. Your journal is much better than you give yourself credit for, although you’ve always been a good writer so it doesn’t surprise me. I plan to put a load of daily crap in mine just for kicks. Hope you get a giggle out of it every now and then. I have certainly enjoyed reading yours.