My mom was the big decorator. Always. She was like a kid. Since she passed 5 years ago, Christmas has lost the sparkle she brought to it.

I used to have all the ornaments from my Grandmother's tree, and then some my daughter created. They were all destroyed. I miss so much having those old, special decorations.

The best ones were the birds. For years and years I always thought Grandma's tree was the best because it had birds in it. She would never tell us where she got them.

When she died, I stood in front of her casket, admiring the large flower spray above it. There was the birds! It finally made sense. Papaw was a grave-digger, and he brought the birds home to Grandma from abandoned flowers.

I laughed so hard and when I reached to take the bird from Grandma's spray, I bumped the coffin and almost knocked it down.

Mom was still alive, and her side of the family have always been inappropriate at funerals, me included. We were trying so hard to quit laughing like hysterical hyenas.

Love that memory.

I don't recall from early childhood, but from Jr. High on, I did most of the trimming with my parents there watching/helping. My brother, 3 years younger never seemed to be there. We had 2 trees, a real one in the living room and a white 4 ft. one in the kitchen Bay window that faced the street. I would put tree up, Dad would string the lights and mom and I would decorate. I remember making probably 100 little angles for the tree. They were made out of yellow yarn and some gold type of trim. I had made the first few in Girl Scouts and come home and made enough to cover the entire tree. Mom and Dad used those until they moved in 2000. As I grew older I would still come each year to help decorate. As to the normal family tree, it was in the living room, real about 8 ft. tall and always had colored lights/other tree had white lights. Mostly I remember mom, dad and I doing the decorating with me doing the most. There was one ornament that had adorned my mom's family tree when she was growing up. I now put that very one on my tree each year. There were the Large colored lights in the attic, but I never remember my father putting them outside. As to my current family we have done many different things. My husband is a self proclaimed Marly, not scroog, because he at least changes. I was always Santa and into Christmas. We fought about a tree our first holiday, but I always won out and we had a tree. My oldest son, now 21, loved the tree and his first babysitter had "bubble lights" on her tree, so his 2nd Christmas he wanted a little tree with itty bitty bubble lights. Santa (a friend dressed up) delivered him just that on Christmas Eve. He continued to put that little tree (about 2 ft) in his room until just last year. The ritual was for santa to leave all 3 kids a gift under that tree, and they were able to open that when they first got up Christmas morning. As far as a large tree, we have had both 1 and 2. We always had one in the LR, but the year we added our family room we put one there as well, both real and about 7 ft. The LR had white lights and better ornaments, while the FR had colored lights and more childlike ornaments. Lately we have put the tree on our sunroom which is directly open from the LR. One seems to be enough. As the children got older my husband stopped being involved ( he used to go with us and chop down, then put lights on and disappear). Lately the kids(1, 2 0r all 3) would go with me to choose and then one of the boys would put the lights on, and then the 4 of us would decorate. There are even ornaments I made in elem school, you know the popsickle stick ones you would make like snow flakes, paint and put glitter on. I still have that original of my moms tree and then one that I had made of santa while in 3rd grade out of wood. I had given it to my brother, but he didn't want and now it adorns my tree each year. Each year I have a tradition of getting my children a new ornament all their own. The idea is that when they get their own home, they will take the ones they were given over the years. This year my husband actually suggested he and I get a tree and was willing to put the lights on for me. That was Sat. and it is still out on the patio awaiting its home. I need to clear the space for it to occupy. I'm sure it will be my 3 kids helping me to decorate. We usually have holiday music playing and cookies to eat. Often they will have friends here to help. If were up to me I'd have a tree trimming party each year. When I was younger we would even make popcorn and cranberry strings for the tree. I seemed to have more time and energy then but not sure why.

So all's fair in love and MOTHEHOOD huh JJ? Loved it, good for you.....

swimbo, the ornaments made by kids made me laugh. I have so many of those. I even have a couple made by me in the early 70's.

I have a friend whose two kids attended the same nursery and elementary schools as my youngest two. We have lots of the same kid made ornaments on our trees. When we visit one another during the holidays and see similar ornaments we reminisce about the good old days when the kids were so little.

JJ, loved the story of Christmas so true now.
Dotsie, it was usually mom who decorated. We had unusual trees some years. She loved to do things different so we never knew what she would come up with. I think I may have written about it before but one year she made the tree out of the metal part of an umbrella and hung it in the picture window. She strung lights on it. It was pretty but not my idea of a tree. I was in high school.
Another year when everyone came to our home for Christmas my aunt told her she had to have a real tree because her grandchildren were coming and I was so happy.
My favorite memory was when I was little and I can remember my father helping me to string popcorn for the tree. I still have that string of popcorn in a metal can. We put it on the tree each year and it goes back into the can.
Dotsie we have a variety of kid made ornaments on the tree too and they are some of my favorites. We cousins exchanged them and their kids then exchanged them.
Maggie

Dotsie, this is such a great memory. So many wonderful stories from you all.

We kids would beg to have the tree before Thanksgiving was done. Going to the tree lot was such fun! The smells told your Christmas was coming - even in 80 degree weather in so. calif.!
Decorating was a big deal - a lot of cursing from Dad because the tree would never be straight or bare in a spot. We would have the glass ornaments or string popcorn, cranberries or make strands out of paper circles. I would get into trouble because I would take a handful of tinsel and just THROW it on the tree..my mother and sister would delicately put each strand exactly in the right spot. Then the 70's took over and we have flocked white trees or pink trees! or was that the 50's?? No trees for me now - it's just me and too much trouble. I did get a metal 'tree' that one can put ornaments on so at least I can hang all the ornaments I do have.

Elsie, every year while decorating our tree Ross shares the story of how his brother would throw the tinsel on their tree. He literally would clump it in his hand and throw it. Voila!

Every year I laugh because I'm a strand by strand tinsel person. Does that mean I'm anal?

[ December 15, 2004, 11:12 AM: Message edited by: Dotsie ]

anal? strand by strand?

anal stranding - that's what happens to puss when you allow her to consume tinsel (we've all seen it)

A reminder to keep you pets away from the tree.

No your not anal Dots...but if you are...then I'm anal too

I remember putting up the tree when my kids were little. We'd go get some gigantic tree, then have to cut 2 feet off the top to make it fit in the living room. After Daddy Dearest put the lights on, it was up to me and the kids, mostly me. But I loved the tinsel. Hated the pine needles.

I remember taking the tree down........what a mess!! And all the trips up and down the cellar stairs to put the ornaments and lights away. I thouht when I got a fake one it would help. It only eliminated the pine needes. There was still always one string of lights that didn't work and tangled ones and broken ornaments. At least the dog didn't drink the water from the stand anymore.

Now I complain because we use a small tabletop fiberoptic tree. It's really very pretty, and not a lot of work. My husband has 8 beautiful trees (fake) out on our patio all lit up so pretty. He says we have plenty of trees, but I can't put the presents out on the deck

But we do have the prettiest deck in the whole condo complex.
Louisa

Louisa, I'd love to see your patio. It sounds beautiful. I love outdoor Chrismas decorations. We have a nativity scene on our lawn with a spot on it. We bought the figures and my husband made the manger. It sits under a tree with branches covered in white lights cascading over it. It's peaceful with a lovely message.