spt: it's ornamental

Christmas trees make me overly sentimental as it is, so it's probably a good thing that I have no ornaments from my childhood.  Sitting, looking at the tree - that is the time when my mind swirls over the past the most - the time when I most miss the snug closeness of my own siblings and parents - the time when I most forget that I'm the mom and it's now my job to create a measure of that same Christmas magic for these littles in my keep. 

Last year I added this bird to our tree:

 

But I was surprised to see one of my other favorite ornaments also bears a bird motif.  It is one of about a dozen ornaments that make me smile most when they emerge from a little white Smithsonian box nestled in with the rest of Christmas.  Relics from my D.C. days.

 

I love these both..though not in such a sentimental way.  Because you can't really compete with the homemade, Cyndee-painted salty dough ornaments that we'd secretly lick when she wasn't looking.  Or the ice skater couple with bendable limbs that Megan daily arranged into different questionable positions.  Or the reindeer we made out of clothespins, Christmas Carol figurines that reminded of our favorite holiday story, the angel Megan painted black and I deemed "the angel of death".  Here comes the Christmas nostalgia.  Again. 

But give us ten years and I'm sure my own tree will be similarly storied...as my little clan grows Christmas to Christmas together as a family. 

Comments

[Kelly]

I would not have pegged you as a bird girl. Hmm!

I'm laughing at your stories of ornaments past -- the angel of death and the inappropriate skaters. So funny. I have sentimental attachment to ornaments, too. My parents gave us boxes of ours when we grew up. It makes me a little sad that they're not all together. I think Josh's skis miss my matching sled. I ridiculously humanize everything!

[Rachel]

I LOVE the bird motif! So appropriate for a tree! And you took such beautiful pictures of them! :)

[lelly]

my bendable figure skater is pink. but she would have *never* done anything questionable... ;)

[Elizabeth]

I love that ball ornament. So pretty. I can't wait to get home yo my moms tree and all the ornaments.

[Marie]

Did the Angel of Death sit at the top of the tree? That would have been hilarious!

[Becky]

Beautiful ornaments and you cracked me up with your funny stories--hmmm, your siblings sound a little like mine! :)

[Mandi]

Oh yes, the angel of death! And the questionable figure skaters who needed a room! Who could forget those??? Only Megan could create Christmas memories like those!

[Megan]

I wonder what happened to the Angel of Death. I remember always taking it from the back of the tree and putting it in the front just to upset others. It was horrid. Love the memories though. And the whole bird thing seems weird. I don't associate you with liking birds at all, but they are pretty ornaments.

[Aprilyn]

I love the angel of death story. I have ornaments from my childhood too. I also have the sled ornaments. Those were popular back then. We also did the reindeer ones too. My favorites are ones I got from choir when I was a kid. I have musical note one with my name on it that I still love.

[Katie]

Pretty ornaments. I think licking the salty dough ornaments is required, isn't it? I can still remember how they tasted!

[Melissa]

I love that you have an ornament from your Washington Seminar days. What a happy thing to have to remind you of the magic of being an intern in Washington, D.C. I should have bought me something like that myself when I was there.

[Amy]

Megs & Kel: I seriously do have a bird thing lately. Nearly every time I go to the scrapbook store I'm drawn to paper with birds on it. I have no clue what this is, because I would also claim this as very non-me. But, my office closet has about 10 pieces of bird paper awaiting...something. Who knows.

[mandy]

I loved reading your ornament stories. They were so funny! I think I only technically had two ornaments as a child and my mom has yet to part with them.

[jenny c.]

how cool to have an ornament from D.C. Now that is some history. I would love to see you tree in more fullness. From the glimpse it looks so lovely!

[April]

Oh, your stories were hilarious and touching all at the same time. Made me smile and mist over both. I think the bird thing is very asian and so I think it really fits. Your tree is absolutely gorgeous and I love all your ornaments. The one from DC is just breathtaking.

[Annalisa]

I think that would be so cool to get a box of your childhood ornaments. Sometimes I think my mom keeps stuff we made out to show us she loves up, but it's never made me sentimental to see my mom display things, in fact the craftsmanship almost embarrasses me. I love your candy canes.

[Rachel]

Great post!! My only complaint is that I wanted a picture to show the whole tree. Those two ornaments really peaked my interest and I am left wondering what the rest looks like.

[Michelle A.]

That is such a beatufiul gold bird ornment. We lived in DC for five years and stocked our tree every year with an ornment from Mt. Vernon. I know I've been to your site before - but I think it's been awhile - thanks for letting me stop in!

[sista #2]

Great SPT. Love the bird thing you got goin' on ;)
(I know.Great English skills I have) I think it's even
more magical and sentimental because we only see these
treasures 1 time a year for maybe a month long period!

[Tiffany]

Just coming back to comment! I loved this post about your ornaments! They are beautiful.

Your bird made me remember a funny story I remember from growing up. We had a few bird ornaments on our tree. One day we came home and found a fake ornament bird in pieces on the living room floor. Our cat (she was normally an outside cat) had climbed the Christmas tree and "caught" the bird. Yikes!

[Holly]

I like your pretty birds! I don't have any on my tree, but I collected the winter bird dishes from Lenox a few years back. I agree, homemade ornaments are the most special because of the memories (questionable behavior and all THAT :)). Won't it be fun to create them with your children!!

[Barb]

I love the bird motif for ornaments, and yours are beautiful.

[Lucy]

These stories are the kind that make me wish I was a bit more sentimental about objects. Unfortunately, for my my Christmas tree, I am not. Currently, it is bespeckled in sparkly IKEA globes that only have to get me through a few more years.

You are a great story teller. Thank you for the glimpse.