Ornaments - Day 11

In 1972 my husband and I celebrated our first Christmas together. The dream began of the perfect Christmas tree and the perfect ornaments.  There wasn't extra money to buy fancy ornaments, just balls, garland, and tinsel. I went shopping and found these ornaments at Sears. I remember thinking they were the prettiest balls with the gold glitter designs. They came in six different colors. I still have all the ornaments but one, which broke a few years ago. The glitter has aged and turned brown, but I still put one of each style on the tree each year.

The rest of our ornaments were handmade, some I made that year and some from my childhood. This little soldier and the stockings were ones I made for our first tree.

Now that I've showed you ornaments from 1972, let me show you our tree and well, us!

Wow, we look young! I guess we were! I was 19 and he was 20!

I remember going to a tree lot for our first Christmas tree. My family had never had a live Christmas tree and that was what I wanted. To spend money on a real tree was extravagant for our budget. But, I wanted it to be special and traditional! I found the perfect tree, came home and we put it in the living room. Well, I didn't buy one too tall for the room. The one I picked turned out to be short...barely over 5'. It was also very full around. I called it squattie. (I don't think that's a word!) It was really kind of funny looking. But, it was our first tree in our first home and I loved it!! I covered the tree with icicles. I do love icicles!! Each year after Christmas I would individually take them off and lay them in white tissue paper to be reused next year. I still have them, but haven't used them in the last several year, due to small grandchildren in our home. I'm afraid they might eat them or have an icicle fight with them. LOL!

My Christmas tree has certainly changed, first ornaments are still on the tree, but new ones are added yearly. I love my tree and decorations, but that short, squattie tree is still my favorite!