It’s that time of year again, the holidays. Where everyone is running around trying to get the best deals on the best gifts for those we love, and getting ready to celebrate the birth of someone who would come to the world and change it for the better. Well this year is often times a hectic one for me for obvious reasons, along with the fact that my birthday has close to 7 birthdays in a two week time frame one of those includes me! Yep I’m finally 21, and it’s a little weird but at the same time still awesome. However we’re not talking about all that today. I’m so excited to bring you the beauty of a prized possession in my life, My Christmas Tree!!!
The legend goes as follows, 21 years ago on december 15th my mom had her baby shower for me, and once my grandmother got home from it she realized that with all the commotion of my soon to be arrival she had completely forgotten to put her Christmas tree up. So that day she got all the stuff together and put together the christmas tree. She has told me before that the second she put on the very last ornament (which just so happened to be my “baby’s first christmas” ornament) She got the phone call that my mom was on her way to the hospital to have me. So my grandma plugged in the tree grabbed her things and my grandfather, my father, and her headed to the hospital. I came into the world on December 16th at 2:10am and so did the Christmas tree that year. Well funny store, you see, that tree then stayed up, fully decorated and plugged in nightly for 10 years! Yep, you read that correctly, 10 years! The Christmas after my 10th birthday, my grandmother decided that it was time to get a new tree. So we ventured to the store and got our awesome plastic tree and we had that one for another 10 years, now this year we got a new one.
The tree is my main project when it comes to Christmas. I am in charge of putting it up and decorating it. I don’t trust anyone else with our fully homemade ornaments. They all hold such beautiful memories that to see them mistreated or broken would seriously break my heart. I adore this tree so I couldn’t help but show you my creation and share with you one beautiful tradition that we have on our tree every year!! So enjoy some photos of my favorite part of the season!
You should know that this is probably one of my favorite ornaments ever! I just think it’s so cute 🙂
Every ornament is either homemade or purchased before 1993! We have only 10, at the very most, ornaments that are store bought with the exception of our beautiful stars. If you follow me on Instagram then you already know a little bit about these little beauties. Beginning eight years ago we bought 12 stars to hang on our tree. These stars are meant to symbolize our family members who have passed away over and who can no longer live life with us. When I was a senior in High School I got my own star for my friend Austin who had passed away. Well this year I got another star to place on the tree for my beautiful mom.
Placing this star on the tree opened a flood gate. Even as I laid them all out and said the names of our family members as I put them on the tree I handed a star to my grandmother for her brother who passed away two years ago, and then I picked up the very last one and said, “This one’s for my mom.” My grandmother looked at me with wilted eyes crying for me, and my ever so broken heart. When people come over and see these stars on our tree they ask what they’re for, when I tell them of their purpose people usually tear up and then ask how my family is so strong, I simply respond with, “We don’t know how to be any other way.” But that’s the truth when I look at our tree and see almost 15 stars I have to just take a deep breath and realize that this strength is not of my own doing, but instead is that of my wonderful father.
It was heart breaking to put this star on the tree this year, but I think back to the quote that came with these stars when we bought them and it says, “Maybe they are not just stars in the sky, but rather openings from Heaven for our loved ones to look upon us, and smile.”
This Christmas season will surely be difficult, but I know this strength that I have is not of my own doing, and for that I can remain strong, and steadfast on the course set out for me.
lifeasbrookemarie 