Today we at the McClendon house decided to take our chances and finally put up a Christmas tree. We have been holding out considering we have a 16 month old and we were unsure how the tree would fair!
We have for several years been using a hand-me-down tree that my family used all of my childhood. It was bought my brothers first Christmas and he is now 21. With my mother gone on to be with her Heavenly Daddy I find it to be a true honor to use this tree. Believe it or not it is still in wonderful condition and even though it is not as big or as full as I might like I love using this tree. For me this tree is steeped in memories both happy and sad. I can remember dad sorting and fluffing ever branch one by one and putting it on the tree. I remember my mother preparing each ornament to be hung. I remember the candy garland and the star atop. I also remember the stories my mom told of each ornament how they all had a meaning. Today I am lucky enough to have one of those memory filled ornaments to go on my tree. It is a cloth one shaped as a boot with a kitten inside it. My mother sewed and stuffed several of these her first Christmas as a wife and mother because they couldn't afford any others. Putting that tree up in my home with my children made my heart hurt. What I would give for one more Christmas with her. I wish my children knew the joy she brought to every Christmas celebration. A true giver by nature this time of year was something amazing at our house. My mom a stay at home mom herself for most of my life almost always did with out at Christmas to make a way for us to have the most wonderful experience we could.
I wonder what my children will remember about today. Will they remember that I was so busy that we almost didn't get it done? Or that I had to go out in the middle of it and buy ornament hooks? I hope their memories with this tree are as sweet as mine. I hope that done mind our "little" tree and I hope they feel the same joy I do every time they see that tree.
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