Our weather has finally turned colder and it's beginning to feel more like December. On December 1st it was in the 70’s and this morning we dipped to 19 degrees!! Looking out the window I can see the ground covered with a heavy frost that is glistening in the morning light. I think I'll just stay inside and enjoy my Christmas decorations.
I changed things up a bit this year…small changes. I was getting tired of every year looking identical to the last. One of the things I did was add icicles to the tree. I haven’t done that in years! I stopped the year Jake, our oldest grandson, was born because I didn’t want him eating them. That was ten years ago. This is the first year we haven’t had a really little one in the house. Next year we’ll have a new grand baby, another grandson, so this was the year! When I was growing up I had a love/hate relationship with icicles! I loved the look, but we had to be so careful putting them on…no throwing…not globs. They were laid carefully across the branches. I remember making my children do the same thing! I look back and wonder, why did I care? I should have just let them enjoy the magic of decorating the Christmas tree! It didn't have to be perfect!!
As added the icicles this year, I placed them on the tree semi-carefully and even tossed a few; just because I could! Some of these icicles are forty years old. Many years ago when Christmas was over, I would take each one off the tree and carefully lay them on a piece of white tissue paper and then I would gently fold if for storage. Now they are just in an old shoebox. I think the shoebox is even antique!! Why did I save them, because my mom did!! Why did she…because they couldn’t afford new ones each year!
I can’t wait to see my grandson's reaction to the tree. I’m not sure they’ve ever seen Christmas tree icicles! As I sit here writing, the heater has just come on and the icicles are sparkling as they wave in the moving air.
MAGICAL!
"Our hearts grow tender with childhood memories and love of kindred, and we are better throughout the year for having, in spirit, become a child again at Christmas-time." ~Laura Ingalls Wilder
I just love Christmas trees, Cathy and do think that your Santa Claus decoration looks very smart among the icicles!
ReplyDeleteIt's nice to have physical links to the past that bring back childhood memories. Now your grandson can carry that on......
ReplyDeletei love this shot of your christmas tree (especially the little peek of you reflected in the ornament). :) it's so funny about icicles...we always put them on the tree when i was a kid. and it was my dad's job. he was very persnickety about how they got put on the tree. :) i don't know when we stopped putting them on, but i think now i'm gonna have to go hunt some down.
ReplyDeletethank you for sharing your memories and giving me a case of the warm fuzzies today. i needed it. xoxoxo
So pretty! I remember that we used to use icicles on the tree when I was young! It has been warm and pleasant here, however we got a light dusting of snow the other day.
ReplyDeleteHi Cathy,
ReplyDeleteI just loved this post, brings back warm memories of my past. My mom would cover the tree with icicles. She liked it done a certain way also and wouldn't let us just toss them on the tree. I didn't bother with them once I moved out, didn't want the bother of them. Just reading this makes me want to buy some now and let my kids just throw some on the tree!! They would love that and have fun I bet. Funny my mom also saved each piece in tissue paper and still has them today. I'm sure your grandsons will LOOOOVE the tree when they see it. How awesome for you to surprise them with a little magic.
Congrats on having a new baby on the way, another grandson to spoil and love! Have a Merry Christmas Cathy. Thanks so much for sharing this and making me smile.
Oh, you've evoked many icicle memories. Ours were saved year to year and they must have had lead in them (I think), they were not the plastic ones of today, these ones could break, they were malleable (I think I am spelling that wrong). They were stored on the cardboard that pantyhose came on (I had two older sisters) and saved for the next year. You put on ONE icicle at a time. Goodness me, memories. Thanks for this, lovely to see your tree.
ReplyDeleteBig hugs,
Pam
Loved this story! You brought some giggles and smiles into my day - especially the part about tossing a few icicles onto the tree - just because you could :) Makes you think about what other "rules" we carry along - rules which really don't make sense in our lives anymore (if they ever did) and we could simply toss out! I hope the boys enjoy the sparkling tree!
ReplyDelete