Deck Them Halls!

Welcome to Trace’s Space.  Recently while scrolling trough my Facebook, I came across a post from a friend that featured photos of nostalgic Christmas decorations from the 1970’s... most of the items featured in this post actually were items that our family had, and well that my mother put out every Christmas until she passed away in 1991.
It was funny because most of the folks who commented, had most of the items as well, and we spoke briefly about bubble lights... then I had this thought, my mother’s Christmas tree was very unorganized, kind of cluttered, but each thing meant something to her, each ornament represented some memory, represented Christmas’ past.
My Christmas tree is the complete opposite of hers.  While we have the same ornaments year after year, mine have to be strategically placed, a process that drives the folks in this house crazy!
So at my parents house the tree went up the day after Thanksgiving and stayed up until mid January.  I know that’s a long time, but my mother celebrated Orthodox Christmas because when she and my father were first married their landlord was Greek, he always wanted my mother to go to church with him, so she was fond of that memory of this gentleman, so that memory started a lifelong family tradition for us!
So this crazy tree.. It had multi colored lights, plus additional lighting, yes, the bubble lights.  She loved bubble lights.  For the first few Christmases that I can remember there was a plastic angel with a glowing yellow halo, which by the mid 70’s was replaced with a glass tree topper that was a bulb with a point (it was modern and ugly!). For a couple of years we had a train with little buildings, and those buildings had lights... The ornaments, all kinds of things, silk bulbs, glass bulbs, stuff folks made... no rhyme nor reason , all just placed randomly on the tree...but you know what, that tree was beautiful!
I would lay for hours on the floor staring at it, into it, adjusting hollow bulbs so that light would some how illuminate them and make them shine.  I loved that tree, I loved Christmas because she made it loveable.
Yes her tree of Christmas past.
My parents were the original Griswolds...not only did Christmas explode inside, it did outside as well... tons of lights, plywood cutouts and music provided via our 8-track player... We had two Christmas tapes, Frank Sinatra Family Christmas and some Perry Como thing...yes it played all day long.,  I think Mike needs to rig something up here that plays music twelve hours a day!
But what memories.  I miss those days, I miss the fun and anticipation of it all, no matter how over the top or mismatched it was.
See Christmas isn’t about the perfect tree or the displays we put out, while we celebrate a Savior, we also celebrate each other.  These next few holidays are times for us to come together and make memories, ones that someday will be fond for those who are part of us.
Take a few moments this holiday season to revisit your Christmas past...embrace your future...you will be blessed...
See you next time.