Christmas Past and Present

I always thought I wanted a themed tree....that is until the year my oldest daughter used her own money and did a Victorian tree.....It was a beautiful tree.....but it was not MY tree.  I was glad to send those ornaments with her when she established her own place.  All of my children's lives they have gotten a special ornament.  As they left home....I carefully packed all their memories and sent them with them for their very first tree.  I guess I do have themed trees....they all contain memories....memories of when I was a child...and memories of when I became an adult.  I love ornaments.  Of all the gifts I get....ornaments are my all time favorites.....along with pins and candles that smell of spice.

My bloggy buddy Linda over at 2nd Cup of Coffee asked all her readers to share their trees and an ornament or two and I have waited all week to share my special ornaments with you.  The tree on the left is in my music/living room.  It is full of music instrument ornaments and places I have been ornaments.  I love this tree...it is a small 3 footer perched on a little round table.  Right before Frank and I married his mom died and Christmas that year was kind of a downer.  We decided to get two star ornaments and put them on our tree in memory of his parents.  The stars we found are called Bethlehem stars and just lovely.

When my father died last year we did the same thing we had done for his parents.  We searched for two more stars just like the ones we had found for his parents but with no luck.  I found two beautiful stars at Belks when I was bowling in a tournament in Dothan, AL.  We packed my mom's ornament up because she is still living....but I bought two so theirs would be matching.  The little bell hanging beside the star is from the Polar Express.  It is one of my favorite Christmas stories.  I also have an angel bell from It's a Wonderful Life. 

The star ornaments are on the den tree.  It is 6.5 ft tall and if you sit on the left side of the couch you cannot see the television.  The claddagh is from my first Ireland trip.

My Aunt Shirley tatted and crocheted and I have three ornaments that she has made for me over the years and I could not decide which ONE to show you so guess what....you get to see them all.  The basket is the last one she ever made for me.  The tussy mussy is one of my favorites.

The phonograph was my present the year Santa brought me a phonograph.  I have to admit I was a bit disappointed when I opened the box and found an ornament....inside the bottom was a note for me to go to the spare bedroom and find a surprise.  It was an awesome year.  Yes siree.

I am having an Open House at the Parsonage this Sunday and so in the kitchen I put up a 4 ft. Charlie Brown style white tree with cooking instruments on it.  I did not have enough to do it justice so I bought some mid-sized red balls and added them to the tree with the red and white polka dotted bow.  I think it is cute.

This gold guitar ornament I got the year I got my first guitar.  It is in sad shape.  It is 40 years old and all my moves have not been kind to it.....but I still put it out each year.  I love this ornament.

The tiny ball my precious niece, Ramona, made for me with flowers from my fathers grave.  It is really pretty....the flash didn't do it justice.

While we were working at my mom's house this year I found several boxes of old ornaments that I remembered hanging on the tree when I was a child.  I love these old Shiny Brite box ornaments.  They were all so pretty and unique.  The striped ones are my favorite.

When I was in the City of Brotherly Love a few years ago I bought a Philadelphia ornament at the Liberty Bell Museum.  I always buy an ornament when I travel somewhere so I can remember my time spent there.

The last ornament I am sharing is a blast from my past and a gift from my friend Susan.  It is a Breakers of Palm Beach ornament.  That is a fabulous hotel on Palm Beach that I always thought was the castle for Cinderella.  I grew up on the other side of the bridge....but I could always dream.  I have actually been to events in the Grand Ballroom at the Breakers.  I worked for a while for the American Friends of the Hebrew University when I was in school and got to attend quite a few fundraising fetes.  It was fun to pretend....even if it was just for one night. 

I hope you enjoyed my walk down memory lane. Have a blessed Thursday.