love it, or hate it…
November 30, 2009 | Family: Nurturing Family
“They’re either going to love it or hate it,” I said as we stood in WalMart looking over the white tree.
We are celebrating our third Christmas in this home. It’s smaller than our last and our tree has been a challenge each Christmas. We’ve moved furniture to the garage. We’ve scrunched the tree in a corner. Last year we put it on the front porch, hoping the wind wouldn’t carry it away. It was pretty, and the little guy next door loved it, but we weren’t going to do it again.
So this year we decided we just needed a smaller tree. And since we were changing, why not go white? And since we were going white, why not buy some fun bulbs for the tree?
I placed my grown children’s absolute favorite ornaments strategically among the new bulbs: like the sparkly green and red styrofoam ball that makes Melissa’s 7-year-old school picture look like a Klingon and the rocky horses carved by a friend when they were not even school age yet.
I thought I’d have time to add a star on top and a few more pretty, funky new ornaments when I received a call.
“We’ll be passing by on our way home to Arkansas. We want to stop in and say hello,” Melissa said.
When she walked in the door, her face was hard to read. She stood with her hand on her hip, Josh standing behind her.
She walked over to the tree, walked around one way, and then the next. “Mom,” she said. “What’s this?”
“Our new Christmas tree,” I said.
Hand on the hip again. “It’s white. Not green.”
“You’re right,” I said, laughing. I stayed on my snug couch wrapped in my OU blanket. It was a fun show to watch.
“Where are all the ornaments?” she asked.
“I chose some of the favorites to put on the tree,” I said. “The rest are still in the garage.”
“Mom,” she said, “This won’t work. You are the hub. You and dad and all our traditions are what makes this home. I’m afraid you’ll have to put this in your bedroom or something. You need the green tree, and all the ornaments? Where’s Mickey Mouse? Where’s the rapper penguin? Where’s the ornament Ryan bought for you that made you cry you loved it so much?”
My son-in-law, Josh, walked over to the tree. He found the ornament celebrating the year he joined our family: a deer holding a sign that reads “2005″. One antler is broken off. He moved it from the back to the front in a prominent space. “I’m happy with it now,” he said.
Before the night was out we foraged in the garage, finding all the old ornaments. The popsicle stick Rudolph, the rapper penguin, the little red barn that reads “Eller Family”, the Christmas laminated ornaments I made the first year I owned a color printer. Melissa carefully filled in all the blank spots, sharing with Josh all over again the history behind all the ornaments.
When they left, Richard and I laughed–a lot. “Looks like they hated it,” he said.
“I called it,” I replied.
So it looks like this Christmas we’ll have a mix of the old and new. It’s not as “pretty” as it was with the matching bulbs and lights, but with the handmade ornaments and memories it’s home sweet home for a little girl all grown up named Melissa.
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Sarah and I put our first tree up this year. It’s a theme tree, all red and silver, and we are getting two yearly ornaments for us. We decided to do that until we have kids, and they will start adding personalized ones. I jokingly told Sarah that would be next year. She didn’t agree.
November 30th, 2009 at 1:55 pmit is different…but I didnt hate it! I am not as critical as Melissa!
November 30th, 2009 at 3:11 pmI like looking at all the different kinds and styles of Christmas trees. I hate them in my home though. My husband agrees. It’s just the two of us so we don’t have to worry or be concerned about what anyone else says. I’m glad your family found a medium point for yours. Thanks for sharing Suzie.
November 30th, 2009 at 8:02 pmHow funny? That is the way I feel every year. Only I’m the one responsible for putting the tree up. My dad doesn’t have one so it’s up to me. Every year for the last o…5 years I have added a new type of ornament to the tree. I either handmade them or by something fun. Or one year I bought a kit to make snowflake ornaments and the wreaths with a candle in the middle. One day when I have children I hope to continue this “tradition” with them.
O well, we’ll be there someday.
November 30th, 2009 at 9:20 pmI understand how your daugther feels. There is just something about the traditions that our parents do with us. Then, when you parents try to change it we get upset about it.
I enjoy reading your blog.
Jennifer