December 1st has been our traditional beginning of the Christmas season.
And I see no reason not to continue.
I have an artificial tree that served for the last few years. The box still contains all the pieces so by this evening the skeleton of a festive tree will be in place.
My own tradition this year will be to try and add something new on a regular basis. By the time I head to my daughter’s for Christmas celebrations on December 24th, I can hardly imagine the weight the tree will bear.
I’ll start with bulbs and lights in the next few days. In my mind I have the idea of creating a tree ornament (using that word loosely knowing how my creations sometimes look!) that signifies the years of celebration I have had, and another that signifies the anticipation of the years to come. Not sure what that will look like, but a few ideas are percolating in my netherworld of gray matter.
I suppose this is one way to create a legacy and a new tradition. In another way, I am going to be looking for ways to highlight my renewed commitment to Jesus. Perhaps another decoration will be centered around the “new wine” that is a part of my life. As I begin this season looking at the Advent of the birth of Jesus, may I find new meaning and understanding. May that also be yours as well.
Hi Ron! Good job on carrying on the tree tradition and I love your idea of creating some symbolic ornaments regarding your past, your goals, etc. We put up two trees in our house. The “pretty” one goes on the main floor. Everything is well matched and beautiful. The “sentimental” tree lives in the family room downstairs and we add a new ornament to it every year that symbolizes something important that happened during that year. It was easy at the beginning – “first year married”, “Baby’s first Christmas”, “first year in the new house”, etc., etc. But now it’s getting, I’d say, more interesting. Three years ago we added a hummingbird and an owl in honor of Dean’s grandparents who were avid bird watchers and had recently passed away. The next year it was a carpenter, in light of the major home renovation we did. Next year we toured through the Maritimes, so there is a lobster trap and something “Anne of Green Gables”-sh on the tree. This year I am looking for a little RV ornament to celebrate the lovely trailer we got this year and the memories we made in it.
At least 2-3 years ago, my wise youngest son (maybe 8 or 9 at the time) questioned why we have the pretty tree upstairs for everyone to see while the more meaningful/important tree remained downstairs for no one to see. Hmmm.
Post a picture of your crafted ones for us to see?!! Thanks!