Oh Christmas Tree ~ Oh Christmas Tree.....

I love my tree this year ~ it has so many twinkle lights and so many memories. I had the best time putting it up. Here's a peek at some of the reasons I love it!

Here's my Mandy putting the tree skirt in place for me ~ her knees are much younger than mine!

Ta~da! The tree ~ I wish I had a better shot of the whole thing ~ but you get the idea!

This little fellow is known, lovingly, as the evil elf...kinda scary looking, isn't he? My husband bought the elf for his mom over 50 years ago. He also bought the cute beaded Santa in the next picture. These are two of our favorite ornaments. The calico links that you see are part of a fabric chain ~ like the red & green paper ones many of you must have made in school. I made this chain in 1980 ~ it's over 18 feet long!

This sweet plaid airplane was purchased for the Christmas tree that was at the grave site of my first child, Ronnie. He passed away in September of 1975 when he was 4 months old. In December my mom bought a little tree to take to the cemetery and I hung this airplane on it. It was there for all of a snowy December in Michigan. After Christmas I brought the airplane home and it's hung on our trees ever since. Every year I buy Ronnie a new ornament for the tree.

I think this next one is my most favorite ornament ~ my sister, Emily, gave it to me. I love how it looks (it's a shadow box kind of look) and I love that it's a special memento from her.

We each get new ornaments every year. I thought it would be a good way for my children's ornament collection to grow ~ three of them have married and have homes of their own, and they've taken a lot of the ornaments with them. Fortunately Mandy loves ornaments ~ she buys a few new ones for herself each year. When she moves out ~ half of what's on the tree will probably go with her. Here comes her special one for this year ~ isn't it sweet! She found it at Pier 1.

Even my flying pig got trimmed with an ornament this year! My mom loves this pig ~ no, not really ~ she thinks it's one of my odder pieces of decor.

Look, Charlotte found one she likes!

I put out a lot of other things too ~ but I don't want to bore you ~ I'll show them to you another time! Thanks for visiting!

I love Christmas!!