Our Tree and Some Favourite Ornaments

We finally got our tree up. When we go to choose a tree we have 3 criteria:

• that it's fat
• that it's fresh, preferably a nordman fir
• that it can get in the house.

We failed on the last point this time. Jamie and Jack had to get several chopping/sawing type tools out to be able to get it into the house.

But they enjoyed all that.{g}

This tree is taller than it seems from the picture. I was in a strange position on the floor when I took this picture.

I've been meaning to post about several of my favourite tree ornaments. Actually, I've been meaning to scrapbook about them for Posterity. Before Posterity claims them and takes them off to their own houses. Grace and Jack already have dibs on the ones they want to have when they leave home. I'm resigned to this. Actually, I think it's a fine testament to our family traditions that they have such fond associations with these ornaments.

So the journalling I'm about to do is for them really, and any future grandbabies, so forgive me this indulgence and feel free to scroll to the bottom of this post, if you are likely to be bored by such meanderings.This is our Mississauga Angel. That's what I call her since we were living in Mississauga, a suburb of Toronto, at the time. She came from lowly beginnings, the White Rose store. {g} She is blowing a golden trumpet. Yes, I know angels aren't girls. Jack loves her and has wanted this ornament for years. It reminds me of when he was a tiny baby.

To the right of the angel is a crystal star with a statue of Liberty engraved into it. This was sent by a friend in NY for an ornament exchange on a yahoo group I belong to. I received it the year of 9/11, so it has sad memories, but it's still beautiful. Jack has nabbed this one too.

The snowman is a Gisela Graham design and I LOVE her ornaments. I try to find a new one every year. Grace is quite fond of this one. I particularly like the fact that the snowman is clutching his very own little Father Christmas.

These are all a selection of ornaments given to me by friends who know I really like red and gold for Christmas. {g} The red stocking was filled with chocolates. Such a great idea! Long gone now, obviously!

Yes, that's a giraffe next to the gold maple leaf. {Also from Canada.} We have a set of shimmering gold, antique-style circus animals, which I bought for one of our first Christmases together nearly 25 years ago, in Chesham. Apparently, they are quite a Victorian idea.

Jack likes the long raindrop/icicle thing. He gave me 3 of them for a present when he was about 5 and he loves them even more than I do! The one in the middle is one of a set embroidered by Jamie's sister and Grace has asked for those.

I love this gold sparkly star of David. It's a good talking point when people come to visit.

This robin is plastic and clips on. I found 2 of these ornaments, from the 1960's, in a vintage shop in Chesham a few years ago. Robins are synonymous with Christmas in England. Lots of other birds fly south for the winter, but robins remain here all year round and look stunning against the snow, if we ever get any. Many Christmas cards feature a robin perched in fir against a snowy background. It's an iconic English image.

This little wooden bell belonged to Jamie's parents and we believe it originated in Germany sometime shortly after WW2. He remembers it from his childhood. It's wonderful to still have it.

This little bird is also from Jamie's home in the 1960's .

The above is a funny little ornament that Jamie's mother made in the 1960's out of half a walnut shell. It's a baby in a cradle. Jamie's mum was a great handi-crafts lady. She made all kinds of things for herself and her family. In many ways, I've tried to live up to her legacy. She died when Jamie was 21, of breast cancer. I think I'd like to pass this one on to Grace.

This Father Christmas is another of Gisela Graham's. He has an Old Man of the Woods feel about him, which is the British tradition of Father Christmas, rather than the Southern European Saint Nicholas. Often he is portrayed in white or green, but those ornaments are hard to find now. The juxtapositoning of the golden cross is deliberate and often draws comments from visitors.
Jack gave me this tray of gingerbread ornament last year. I think he now gives me the ornaments he thinks I will like but also would like to inherit! Which is fine. He and I do a lot of baking together at Christmas, so it will be filled with those memories for him. And that's a nice thought.

I can remember where I got almost all our ornaments, where we were living at the time and so on and they often evoke memories and moods. Is this true for you? If so, why not make a blog post about some of them and leave the link in the comments section so I can visit.