It wouldn't surprise anyone to find out that I have (strong) opinions about Christmas tree ornaments. Who even writes about their Christmas tree or how they decorate them? I do. I finished arranging the festive elements of our tree, this weekend. After hanging the lights and cranberry beads, I brought out the motley assortment of raggedy cardboard boxes--all sizes, some, old and mangled with flaps, others, also old, but the fancier gift kind with printed pictures on top, or clear plastic lids. They don't stack, so well, and I've bought sturdier, uniform plastic bins (that I might even label) to use when I pack them away, this year. Hm. We'll see if I can part with the familiar well-worn boxes, most of which hide completely mysterious contents until opened (Wow! The paper stars! I FORGOT about those!)As I've suggested, not any old ornament makes it onto the Tree, but it's not so easy to give the criteria. It's one of those, "I-know-them-when-I-see-them" kinds of things. Ethnic is good. Metallic or glass balls, not so much. Natural materials, good, but we have some plastic ones, too. No Santas or snowmen. But lots of stars and bells and angels. And animals. Each year, I really enjoy hanging the jute stars and elephants from Bangladesh that I ordered from a craft cooperative, years ago. I've got a bunch of sisal angels from the same place, I think. There are painted tin ornaments and God's eyes from Mexico, and a pandau cube bought from Vietnamese immigrants. Straw ones (Mexican and Scandinavian) and wooden snowflakes with red accents (from a Swedish gift shop?). I love natural wood with a bit of red!
There's a set of tiny, elaborately carved wooden angels that a friend brought back from Germany. Silk bells from who-knows-where in Asia (Cost Plus?) and a Native American "hand" ornament we bought in Utah--it's an important symbol for something I can't remember, no doubt. We pick them up as we travel, like I found some other wooden ones in Germany, this year, but I'm certainly not above grabbing one that catches my eye from Target. Many have been gifts, like the aforementioned German angels. Of course, we've had too many, for years, now, but it doesn't matter. We really need two trees...Aside from these, there are the one's the kids and I have made. Quilted, batik angels and gingerbread men. Dough birds. One year, when the three of us were making dough ornaments, Rachel and I made the usual angels and such, while Dylan spent the entire time on one, beautifully-rendered "Cult" (the heavy metal band) logo. It didn't make the cut to be on the actual Christmas tree (it was big and heavy, for one thing--and, really, it was the "Cult"), but it did get hung on his wall, above the closet. Over time, the varnish became like Superglue, and, when we tried to pry it off the wall as we packed up to move (he was out of college, by then), we had to chisel it off in many pieces. Too bad.
I also put up certain, um, tackier, ornaments, that wouldn't, in and of themselves, qualify for a branch to hang on. But, somehow, though I don't remember where they even came from, they get to stay because the kids (usually Dylan)will sometimes check for them. Two examples would be: the strange, beaded "raspberry" ornament, or the tiny little owl-with-a-few-real-feathers that I used to hide on the tree, every year, for Dylan to find. I had to glue one teensy eye back on, this year. Rachel's commemorative volleyball ornaments are up there, too, though they've sort of migrated to the back of the tree. The Grand Ol' Opry ornament she brought back from Nashville, however, didn't get the nod. Perhaps on her own tree, someday...
I have a terrible memory. Everybody knows it. If I ever develop Alzheimer's, it will be quite advanced before anyone will notice the difference. But hanging each ornament on the tree--and I'm sure this is the same for most everyone else--is like a little excursion back in time. Except that, well, some pieces have already lost their "links". I know they had meanings, but I just can't remember what they are. And, I must say, there are some that might have specific sentimental value (even if I remember what it is) that doesn't quite overcome the overall deficits of the ornament, itself. The Santa bowing down at the manger, for one. Sorry. It stays in the box. Like I said, no Santas. I don't really know why some years, I hang the little green-bead-wreath-with-the-bells, but some years I don't. This year, it would be "no".
Anyway, it's beautiful! It's a crazy, colorful, giant, glowing tree that we get to keep inside our house, for a little while. How cool is that?! It makes me happy to look at it! And it's a big part of the backdrop for a time of year that we love and look forward to. Now, where could I put just one more...?
