Lynne is six in this Christmas photo. She’s so cute! I love it that her tree looks exactly like our trees did when I was growing up. I think they may have been cedar rather than spruce, pine, or fir trees. (I’m betting Lynne will know.)
I stopped using icicles years ago, even when we still put up real trees. But now with the little artificial tree and because of the dogs, we never use them. I can embiggen Lynne’s tree and see not only ornaments that look just like those on my parents’ trees, but the same kind of Christmas lights. The ones that looked like this and would get so hot:
No way did we put as many lights on the tree then as we do now. We’d have caught it on fire! I don’t know if we’ll ever have a real tree again–it’s hard to keep dogs from drinking the water, plus the needles get everywhere.
Here’s Jess admiring a Christmas tree when he was about fourteen months old. This may have been taken in the same house–even in the same corner–as Lynne’s photo.
And the new generation. Lila in 2009, a year and nine months old, opening a gift next to her grandmother’s tree.
Yes, that tree looks like the three Eastern Red Cedars I have along the fence in the back yard. Only mine are about 15- to 20-feet tall. And yesterday, the clutch of cardinals who have been M-I-A all summer long, returned to their home in the cedars.
Oh, lucky! I love cardinals!
Yep. Red cedars. Taken from the mountain or a field. Usually with a gapping hole in one side. Oh, but the smell!!! I love that cedar smell and the way it would deoderize the house. It lingered for weeks…
Jess & I are in the same house. Usually the tree was in the middle of the living/dining room when Momma put it up.
excuse me. i need to go (west, toward Austin) and cut down a cedar tree… Maybe that will make it feel more like Christmastime.
Maybe just some cedar branches in a table arrangement–yes, I remember that scent, too–it does mean Christmas!
You’re missing your ornaments and regular Christmas things. It’s like going out for Thanksgiving dinner–it’s wonderful and easy, but it feels weird not to have all the usual scents and leftovers in the house.
I’m looking forward to when Ryan is old enough to appreciate Christmas.
Y’all will have so much fun with him!