Have you ever thought about the stories behind your Christmas decorations? Few of our decorations are purchased so maybe that's why each decoration hanging on our tree seems to have a story attached.
My mini Christmas tree is one of three that Mum and Dad bought for my sister, brother and me to place in our bedrooms. It must be at least 30-35 years old and I must admit the little baubles need a bit of a polish or a touchup. The silver tinsel entwined around it could be older. I think the tinsel is all that remains of a large strand that once draped around our family tree and was continually trimmed as silver slivers detached from the cotton thread. And considering the trees were three different colours—green, gold and silver—there were no arguments when Mum and Dad showed us the trees and let us select ‘our’ tree: Sister's was gold, Brother's silver, and mine green. Does that say something about our personalities or tastes at the time?
After Tony and I were married, Mum gave us some old decorations including gold, white and foil balls, which still adorn our tree today. The foil balls were always a favourite of mine and they especially stood out against my family's white Christmas tree.
That white Christmas tree was purchased for my first Christmas, and except for a couple of years when we had a real tree, was erected each Christmas until Mum and Dad purchased a new tree for my eldest nephew's first Christmas. I guess the next tree will be purchased when the first great-grandchild is born.
The treble clef and quaver decorations were the first decorations I bought when we were married and reflected my love for music.
Even now, old habits die hard. I always try to put the tree up around the 12th December and like to play Christmas carols while I do so.
Why the 12th? That was about the time school would break up and the first day of the holidays was almost always spent putting up the Christmas tree, decorating the house, and playing Christmas carols on the old turntable. We would have learnt one or two carols in our piano lessons and, old-fashioned as it sounds, during the weeks leading to Christmas we would gather around the piano and play and sing carols.
One of my most vivid memories was Mum and Dad taking us to town on a Christmas Eve to view the Christmas windows of Grace Bros (now Myer) and David Jones, and being in Martin Place singing Christmas carols beneath the tree with many other families. This was before Carols in the Domain began or the local carols in the park became popular.
Isn't it funny that, as kids, ‘more’ always seemed better? So our family tree was overladen with ornaments, tinsel, and lights; and large strands of tinsel, paper chains and garlands were draped across curtain rods, picture frames, and along the hall railing.
When we were first married I decorated the room but, maybe because our house was smaller than my family home, the decorations seemed too much. Inspired by the decorations in David Jones, I bought some ribbon and made gold and red bows for our Christmas tree and went for a minimalist look. I gave away the tinsel and eventually, the lights as well. To this day, the focus is our tree and its bows - no tinsel, no garlands, no lights.
This small wreath was made and given to me by a friend in the Financial Systems Group. The Financial Systems Group was the first time I felt part of a really close work team. We were a unique group in the financial department, acting as the bridge or interpreters between the accountants and the technical teams, and we worked long hours with the techies, sometimes weekends and public holidays, to ensure the financial applications were available at the start of the day. Tony and I do not miss the sound of the pager beeping in the middle of the night, a sign that a system job had failed and I needed to phone the system operators and advise them what to do.
Although most of the Financial Systems Group left the company, we're still in contact and I was lucky to enjoy the same closeness and support in future teams and find friends within those teams.
These balls were made by my talented aunts. Crochet, knitting, embroidery, smocking, needlework, sewing - name it - probably one or both of them can do it or has tried it. Me? I'm hopeless at knitting and needlework. Give me clay for pottery or pencils for drawing any day.
The second and third balls are examples of temari, a Japanese folk craft. The embroidered temari is a gift from my Aunt in Townsville, who gave it to me when I visited in July. If you are interested in making temari, see my cousin's tutorial on her Empress Wu Designs site.
The temari from my Aunt is not the newest decoration. I just purchased this Santa doll last week.
I was helping a friend raise funds for the Q'ewar Project in Peru by selling dolls and dolls clothes at my Wednesday yoga class. The Q'ewar Project provides an opportunity for women to learn skills and gain economic independence.
All the dolls and clothes are handmade from cotton cloth and alpaca yarn. One of my fellow yogis, an early childhood teacher, recognised the style and explained how the dolls' faces are deliberately kept simple so that children can project their feelings onto the dolls. Everyone was saying how cute the Santa doll was but no one bought him. By then, I'd fallen in love with him and purchased him for our Christmas tree!
The remaining decorations on our tree are an eclectic collection from people who have touched our lives in the past 20 years: ornaments that adorned presents we received, and the Chinese New Year and feng shui charms provided by friends and relatives—each one unique and each with its own story and memories.
I love reading about the stories behind Christmas decorations. That's what Christmas trees are really about - stories, family, connections and memories. Now I don't think my three trees this year seem excessive at all! thanks for the link to the temari tutorial.
ReplyDeleteYes - I've been thinking about the stories behind our decorations for years and always want to write about them. It's amazing what memories they do trigger.
DeleteAnd with all the artists and crafts-people in the family I'm surprised you do not have more than three trees!