The Spirits of Christmas (Tree) Past, Present, and Future

First order of business: I made waffles for dinner tonight. Breakfast for dinner makes me ridiculously happy. Waffles anytime!

But we can talk more about waffles another time.

I realize that I’ve been belaboring my pup’s recent surgery and you’re probably tired of hearing about it… I only bring it up now because I want you to remember that Seth and I are basically confined to the house with her until she is healed up enough to have her stitches out. Too much risk of her moving around and popping something important if we’re not keeping a watchful eye on her. (Thank goodness Seth works from home– it has made this whole ordeal much, much easier than it would have been otherwise! I am grateful every day for his excellent job! And his boss is kind of cool, too…)

So because we were home bound with Curly this weekend my exceptionally generous sister-in-law, Sister Doctor, and her husband (on his birthday, no less!) went and picked out a Christmas tree for us! How awesome is that?! Β They delivered a beautiful fresh cut Fraser Fir from Seth’s uncle’s tree farm on Sunday afternoon and Seth and I spent the evening setting it up and decorating as Curly looked on from her kennel.

Setting up that Christmas tree reminded me of so many things about Christmas past and made me think ahead to the many, many Christmas’s Seth, Curly, and I have in our collective future. And it was interesting to think about all of the holiday traditions Seth and I celebrated with our own families growing up and how we’ve merged those things into something completely unique for our own bitty nuclear family.

When I was little, we always had a beautiful gold and silver star with a bright white bulb at its center topping the tree and the first year Seth and I got a Christmas tree together I was certain that I wanted to find our own perfect star. But Seth’s family always topped their tree with an angel, and that’s what he preferred. I remember my mind being absolutely boggled at the thought of having an angel atop the tree– I’ve never liked the look of overly realistic angels. I mean… a star!! Personal preference, I suppose, but I was stuck. Until I found this angel:

Angel Topper

A plain, bright bulb for a head and a simple design. Much like the star I enjoyed growing up, while providing Seth with the angel he always wanted atop his tree. Perfect compromise. Isn’t it lovely???

Same with the lights. Seth’s family always had tiny ones, we always had big round bulbs. What to do, what to do? Compromise once again! We got some mid-size LEDs, just bigger than the minis Seth was used to and the same shape and colors as the bulbs I’ve always loved.

Together with the Christmas tree stand handmade by Seth’s grandpa (it’s a hand-welded sleigh!!), the tree skirt latch hooked by Seth’s mom (lovely little holly berries!), the mounds and mounds of tinsel inspired by my dad (seriously… LOVE tinsel!!), and the multitude of ornaments handpicked by Seth and I on special vacations and gifted to us throughout the years (new house, engagement, wedding, honeymoon in Hawaii (Mele Kalikimaka!), Seth learns to surf, Rachel learns to wakeboard…) we have our very own perfect tree.

Tree Details

I see it as a subtle reminder of our Christmases past, a beautiful symbol of this Christmas present, and a harbinger of Christmases yet to come… each one sparkling, pine-scented, and joy-filled.

Lit Tree

12 thoughts on “The Spirits of Christmas (Tree) Past, Present, and Future

  1. I love the merging of family and traditions that make Christmas such a feast of color, light and love! You tree is beautiful!

    1. Isn’t it something?! Seth’s grandpa is SO talented– he also made our can crusher. Much less beautiful, but just as impressively functional!

      I absolutely adore the stand and love bringing it up for the year!!

  2. love it! Putting up the ornaments is sooo fun– I have memories of each and every one. I’m totally team angel. Seth is right. Just kidding– it’s awesome you’ve found an angel that’s a compromise!

    1. Team angel, really?! That surprises me about you… and I don’t know why. Your hot pink tree and pickle ornaments had me pegging you as a star person, but I get it. Personal preference is just that!

      The ornaments really are the best. I think we’re going to end up needing a 12 foot tree sometime down the road though, because we seem to keep accumulating. Just keep me away from Frankenmuth!!

    1. Shabsky! No one ever had to hide clumps of tinsel in the middle of the tree– some people just got bored of it apparently! Little punk!

      I’m telling your favorite joke in my post tonight– get pumped πŸ˜‰

  3. That is such a great looking tree! I like you starting your own traditions. The star on the tree here at home (and the same one we used when you were still here) is from my grandparents’ tree in Skandia. It’s been around forever.

    1. I thought the star might be from Skandia, but I couldn’t remember for sure! I love it all that much more then! It’s so simple and so pretty– perhaps someday I will inherit it. (Do you hear me, Abby and Tom? I’m calling dibs!) But for now, I will enjoy it on your lovely trees!!

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