Covered Porches and Wooden Screen Doors

We have two Christmas trees at our home. The Boyd’s Bear Christmas Tree is downstairs. Over the last 20 years I’ve collected the Boyd’s ornaments. Three years ago we purchased a tree and they now have their own home. I have a curio cabinet that Don and My Father-in-law built that is their home eleven months of the year. The lighting wouldn't let me photograph it. The tree is trimmed in grape vines. Chelsey and I went out and harvested grape vines growing wild along back roads. The location is “top secret”. We had more fun gathering them.

We have a cut Balsam tree upstairs. It has always been our family collection of ornaments. Hallmark ornaments with the years written on them. There are the ornaments with each child’s age for the first 6 years of their lives. Don’s Star Trek Ornament, the Coca Cola Santa Claus, and of course the Packer ornament the year the Green Bay Packers won the Super Bowl. Don’s rule is the angel is always on top. We’ve looked at fancy ornaments and Star, but he always said the Angel goes on top.


This year, I found berry vines that drape the tree instead of the usual garland. I also added burgundy (my favorite color) poinsettias and balls. My collection of bird’s nests is pulled out and somehow there are always perfect spots for each. The tree really came together this year.
Even Eric says, “Mom, it’s my kind of tree”.

Chelsey left for work before we had finished decorating it last Saturday. My Mother started her a collection of Barbie ornaments back when she was three years old. Each year she gets a new one. Even though she’s past the Barbie years, she still gets an ornament. We saved the ornaments for her to place on the tree. One day went by, two days went by, finally last night I said, “Chels, you going to put up your ornaments?”

She hesitated a second, “ I didn’t think they matched the tree…”

I sat down by her and emphatically told her, Christmas trees aren’t about matching, they are about memories. That tree was her tree too. And one day, she’ll have every one of those ornaments for her own tree.

It kind of got me thinking. Maybe Christmas trees symbolize a season where everyone “fits” in. But I think in the grander scheme of things, maybe it’s a time when it’s OK not to fit in—to be differentand still accepted. That every one can celebrate the season of believing and remembering and thankfulness.

So smack dab in the middle of our Christmas tree, not at the bottom or even on the back. But front dead center is Chelsey’s collection of 12 Barbie Ornaments…