A Mismatched Christmas Tree

Do you want your Christmas tree to actually hold special memories and not just ornaments bought from a store? Well, it can, and it is never too late to start. However, the earlier you start this process the more cherished memories your Christmas tree will hold as each year passes.

I have many different colors on my tree and they are in no way coordinated. That is exactly what I love about my Christmas tree!

I know that everyone's Christmas tree is special for whatever reason. What follows are the reasons why I believe my Christmas tree holds cherished memories for me.

Every year when I put up my Christmas tree, a flood of cherished memories comes back to me. As each year passes, my Christmas tree becomes the holder of more and more cherished memories. Why is this the case? It is because I have a designer Christmas tree with the most exquisite ornaments money can buy? No, in fact, it is quite the opposite.

In my family, I am the keeper of the memories. Therefore, as my children were growing up, and as children do, they make things for their parents in school and just in general on different occasions. I kept everything they have ever made me. This is the case with even Christmas ornaments ever since they were very young. Now, much to my delight and joy, my grandchildren are adding to these cherished memories as each year passes, to include special ornaments to place on my Christmas tree.

Do not get me wrong, for I do have store-bought ornaments too. My Christmas tree is by no means a designer tree with everything having to match. However, to me, I could not find a more beautiful Christmas tree to behold than my very own Christmas tree.

The above Christmas paper plate ornament with my son's photo on it in 1997 is extra special to me now. Oh, it was special back in 1997 too, but it was not until just a few years ago that my son told me about what he and his best friend, Jeremy, did on that day. He told me that he and Jeremy had gotten up in front of the class wearing their Santa hats and started singing Aretha Franklin's R.E.S.P.E.C.T song! I can just see him and his best friend doing such, which made me smile and knowing that, makes the ornament even more special for some reason.

On another note, my son's best friend's dad was in the Merchant Marines and each year Jeremy would always look for his dad to return home for Christmas for he would be gone six months at a time and then home for Christmas. Sadly, Jeremy's dad died a tragic death by falling off a ship and was lost at sea! I will never forget that first Christmas after his dad died when he was at our house playing with my son on Christmas morning. After a bit, I told my son we had to get ready to go to his grandmother's house, who was living in Florida at the time. My son did not notice Jeremy's face with one single tear rolling down his cheek. I heard his friend say, "No, I will not have anyone to play with, except my little sister." Then, he mumbled under his breath and said, "Well, my dad should be coming home soon since it is Christmas." That broke my heart into a million pieces. Since Jeremy's dad's body was lost at sea, he never was able to see him, and I guess in his mind, his dad still should have been coming home for Christmas.

Handmade ornaments made by friends and family are so very special too. I really love these three here.

Whether handmade or bought from a store, photo ornaments add sweet memories to your Christmas tree each year. One can even purchase the cutest photo ornaments from the Dollar Tree for one dollar! There is a great variety and they are all so cute. These ornaments are a lot more special than the expensive ornaments one can purchase for sure, at least to me!

There are times when one travels, one can pickup a special ornament while on a trip. Many times over the years, while traveling, our family members have purchased ornaments to give to us to place on our Christmas tree.

Several years ago, at one place of employment, the President's assistant made each of us in the department special ceramic Christmas ornaments. She was such a dear lady to do such year-after-year. She had taken a ceramics class and made each one of us special ornaments each year with the year painted on the ornament in gold, and our name painted in gold on the other side of the ornament. How special. I will treasure these just because she was so very thoughtful to take the time to do that for all of us.

Sadly, earlier this year, we lost our Jack Russell Terrier, Cookie, who was killed. We surely do miss her very much. Of course, we want to take time to remember her as well at Christmas.

My son and daughter also made a few other items during Christmas, other than ornaments for the Christmas tree. I thought I would share one my son made, which is a Santa clay pot.

Not pictured here is one of my favorite things my son made me and that is a bowling pin Santa, but poor Santa has had some rough years and need of some repair, so I did not picture him here. However, my son's teacher that year had a great idea for a Christmas craft to make a Santa from a bowling pin. They just painted it red of course, and then used red felt for his outfit and hat and cotton for his beard and hat. They used those stick on button eyes that roll around. Then, finally black felt for Santa's belt. It is awesome!

I know that when your children or grandchildren make something for you it is extra special too and you cherish it as well!

The wise man ornament pictured below belonged to my husband's grandmother. His dad had gotten a job with a television station back then around 1965 in Saudi Arabia. We do not know what happened to the rest of the set. His grandmother died a long time before my husband and I were married, and we were married very young at the ages of 18 and 19. I never met his grandmother. My husband said she was the sweetest person he has ever known, and he said that he cannot wait for me to meet her one day. I know I will love her when I do get to meet her one day!

My prayer is that all have a blessed and safe Christmas this year. I love you all.

This is a difficult Christmas this year, especially being that my mother died just last year at Christmas on December, 20, 2012. She was the sweetest person I have ever known in my lifetime. I know I will see her again one day, along with my husband's sweetest grandmother. Merry Christmas sweet mother.

Merry Christmas to all! Peace and love, Faith Reaper