tree time.

Yesterday my co-worker surprised me with a Christmas tree! Her family owns a xmas tree farm and she found an absolutely perfect 4 foot tree and had her son cut it down.  Since zach wasn’t around, putting up the tree was a solo mission I was quite unprepared for.  I had lights but zero ornaments.  I hunted around the apartment for ornament worthy supplies.  I wound up pulling out  a bag of those glow-in-the-dark stars.  i hammered holes in them for string, sanded them so the paint would adhere, painted them gold and silver and doused them in glitter.  They actually look rather pretty.  I then pulled out some bright red card stock and cut out some pretty paper hearts.  Homemade tree done and done.

 

After I finished the tree, I sat on the couch with a glass of wine and thought about the different photos of trees friends have been steadily posting on facebook.  I love how each person’s tree is so “them.”  When zach got home we got to talking about the trees we had growing up.  As he described his family xmas tree, I had to giggle thinking he must have been mortified by the Conway tree last Christmas.  Zach told me his family typically has a very beautiful, ornate, sparkling tree which sounds absolutely gorgeous. 

My family’s tree… well… consists of a collection of ornaments my mom gave us each year from when we were babies until probably 25.  Each year she would pick out an ornament that she felt represented me and my brother that year.  He would get guitar playing Gonzo or ice skating Santa; I got a vintage Barbie ornament one year and a kitten wearing mittens another year.  In addition, my mama kept a carefully curated selection of handmade ornaments we made when we were tiny.  The two standout pieces are the paper-plate angel I made for the tree-topper and everyone’s favorite: Santa Scissorhands that Dave drew when he was in second grade.  We even laminated that sucker.  I get a lump in my throat thinking about the tummy-ache inducing laughter we get every year as we decorate the tree.  It’s a tree only my family could love.

What’s your tree like?