Our Christmas trees through the years

I don't ever remember not having a Christmas tree. When I was young it was usually a pine or cedar tree, and once we had a holly tree with berries that daddy found in the woods. I remember when he brought it home and how excited he was to have found one just the right size, and with so many red berries. I remember the disappointment of not having a pretty full cedar tree. After Jim and I were married, we have always had a real tree through the years. That is, until 1996, when we bought an artificial tree for our small cottage at the farm.


Once when the boys were still all at home and we were living in Paris, TX, I bought an artificial tree and assembled it one evening while Bill and Ron were at a boy scout meeting. I can still see the disappointment on their faces when they came home and saw that "fake" tree sitting in the living room. They remarked that half the fun of Christmas was going out to find a real tree - which they did that week-end, and I packed the artifical tree back in the box and returned it to the store.


We didn't go to a tree lot and purchase a tree until we lived in Minneapolis. The fir trees on the lot were frozen and stiff and we no idea what they would like when thawed. We had to bring it home and put it in the house to thaw. After Christmas we put it outside the kitchen window and put food on it for the birds. The tree stayed green until spring since it was so cold outside.

I like to put the tree up the first week of December so that I can get up early every morning and turn on the lights. I love Christmas and all the traditions we have. Each ornament on our tree has a special meaning of a special time in our lives. Some of the older one have been "retired".

This year James wanted a white tree with red ornaments and white lights. And so that's what we have - and it is really pretty. I spray painted our artifical tree in the above photo to make it white. Next year we will get a new, leaner and taller pre-lit green tree, so we can put all our ornaments on it. I'll be watching for sales after Christmas.

Older people tend to not want to do anything for Christmas. Not me! I will always have a Christmas tree as long as I can, not matter how much work it is to put it up and take it down. There's just something magic about a Christmas tree and I'd be so sad without one.

No wonder one of my favorite Christmas songs is the German song "O Tannenbaum". Here are the English words:

O Christmas Tree O, Christmas Tree,Your branches green delight us.O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree,Your branches green delight us.They're green when summer days are bright;They're green when winter snow is white.O, Christmas Tree, O, Christmas Tree,Your branches green delight us!