O Christmas Tree
Every year I look forward to setting up my Christmas Tree, it just isn’t Christmas without one! One of my favourite memories is when we were little our Papa (grandfather) would take us out into the countryside to pick out a tree, he would then chop it down and we would put it on the toboggan to get it back to the car. Once we got it back to their home, my Nana would pull out the decorations and we would decorate the tree. It was always what we call a “Charlie Brown Christmas Tree” as it was never too full, even, or tall, but it was just right when it was all done up in it lights, ornaments, and of course tinsel!
My favourite ornaments were the pretty glass ones we were never allowed to touch - in fear we would break them. My Aunt Sharon hand painted some ornaments to look like stained glass and to this day they are still a favorite of mine on my Mom’s Christmas Tree.
A wonderful family tradition my mom started us off with was giving us an ornament in our stocking or as one of our gifts. I still have some of my favourite ones to date. Over the years I had changed my style of tree from mismatched ornaments to colour themed trees. I continue to put up my favourites and add new ones each year. I have a consistent coloured tree for the main floor tree and a mismatched multi coloured tree for our basement family room, each are lovely and filled with many memories.
One of my favourite client’s earlier in my Interior Design career was an avid antique collector. Their renovation project was coming to a close just before Christmas, as most do. As a thank you gift they gave me an “Alpo” box filled with antique glass ornaments. These special ornaments come out every year and are place in a bowl for safe keeping, allowing me to enjoy them year after year (See photos below). They are even more special as my client has passed away, but my memories of him and his family are with me every year. I have now become an avid collector of antique glass ornaments and I add more to my collection every year. These are placed on both my Christmas Trees and in bowls or vases around my house (*See blue ornaments below).
These are the antique glass ornaments my special client gave me many years ago, which started me on my own collection.
A few of my antique glass ornament collection.
I encourage you to find your own traditions, borrow one of mine and start your own, and treasure your memories. For those of you starting your own family traditions or putting up your first Christmas Tree look for my next blog where I will share my Christmas Tree Decorating Tips - I have it down to a science!