O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree How lovely are thy branches!…I haven’t been happy with my Christmas tree this year. In our new home it feels too big, too tall. The lights quit working so I ordered fairy lights that switch between white and colored.  They are not quite what I had envisioned, the cords are almost impossible to hide. The ribbon I chose just didn’t do it for me either. And to top it all off the only place that it would fit was smushed between the TV console and the sofa.  I need a new one but that’s a whole different story. So I decorated it and went on.

And then I saw this.

The perfect tree.

No idea who’s tree it is, I tried to figure it out but couldn’t.

So if you know, let me know so I can give this person, who is clearly the King or Queen of tree decorating, the true credit they so richly deserve.

Comparison is an ugly thing.

Now my tree really didn’t make me happy.

At all.

A week or so ago I saw a Reels that Brittany Young the Certified Celebrator posted.

She reminded me of our Christmas Tree tradition that we started when our sons were small.

Every year the boys got to choose an ornament for the tree.

The plan was that when they got married they would get to take their ornaments with them to start their new tree.

This plan started off beautifully.

When they were young I chose the ornaments.

Cute, sweet and color co-ordinated perfectly with my carefully chosen bulbs and Our First Christmas Together ornament.

You can see the flaws in this plan, however I and Brittany certainly did not.

This is the ornament that Brittany’s son chose.

#boymomlife

I had to laugh because it reminded me of all of the years of strange ornaments that my sons chose.

Don’t believe me?

Let me share.

Super Heros

We have quite a few of them.

Batman, Spiderman and Ninja Turtles just to name a few.

Is this Leonardo? Or Michelangelo?

And in most cases there are more than one.

 Video games.

Who knew?

This one lights up and makes strange noises.

For obvious reasons it’s batteries need replaced.

Strange things.

I don’t even know what some of them are and frankly stopped asking.

 Movies, camping, etc.

And this year? My youngest asked why I hadn’t asked him what ornament he wanted.

The conversation went like this:

Son: ” Mom, why haven’t you asked me what ornament I want this year. Did we even do one last year?”

Me: “Well, I had planned on them being a wedding gift, but as I see no wedding in sight and the tree is getting a bit full, I thought maybe we should just stop getting new ornaments.”

Him: ” WOW, mom! I mean, I plan on getting married. Some day. Hey, no pressure…”

Me: ” Just get the ornament…” eye roll…

This is what I got.

All 6 of them.

Now, it’s not totally filled with all things a boy mom would cringe at.

It also has beautiful Shiny Brite ornaments, ornaments fit for a queen, Santas and hand blown glass ornaments from Germany.

Ornaments that both my husband and I love.

The funny thing was, as I started photographing the ornaments to share with you it brought back all of the memories.

When the boys played sports, were in the Church Christmas play, school events, when they were into video games. ( the youngest would jump, roll and dive when Mario did. Quite the work out and made untangling the cord an event. Drove the eldest CRAZY!) All of the years that we hid the pickle and they went hunting….

All the memories.

From opening gifts to setting up the train under the tree.

Suddenly, my Christmas tree wasn’t the Charlie Brown tree I had pictured it to be.

My tree may not be filled with all things shiny and new.

It may not be the perfect size, in the perfect place, with the perfect lights and ribbon.

But it is filled with beautiful memories that I wouldn’t trade for any other tree!

O Christmas tree, O Christmas Tree how lovely are thy branches….

Until next time…