Over the years
my tastes in Christmas decorations
have changed.
I have begun this year's decorations, and
they harken back to the simpler decorations
of my childhood.
To a time when our Christmas tree
was a cedar tree cut from the fence row
along side an old country road.
No one bought a tree.
During late November, I
would begin sizing up cedar trees along the roads.
I was always looking for the perfect shape
and would point out trees that I thought
would be a great Christmas tree.
Then, about two weeks before Christmas,
my dad would take us four children to the chosen tree,
and he would cut it.
The
Christmas Greenery
in our breakfast sunspace this year is fresh greenery
and reflects back to a style similar to my childhood.
One that is simple, filled with fresh greens.
Last year I was drawn to the photos on blogs that showed
bare real trees placed in rustic containers such as
galvanized buckets and wicker baskets.
Most of these photos were from Nordic countries.
From that inspiration, this year I placed a fresh Fraiser fir table-top tree
from Home Depot into a galvanized bucket I found
at Chipper's antique/thrift store in Alabama.
This is not the first time we have had a fresh bare tree.
No, I was ahead of the trend about fifteen years ago
when we had a large fresh Fraiser fir tree
on our open back deck.
We could see it from both the living room and
the breakfast sunspace.
Passersby could see it from the road as they drove by.
At night we left the outside lights on until we went to bed
so the tree was visible after dark.
That was the year I just could not get everything done
by Christmas.
So, the big beautiful tree sat on the deck without
a single light or decoration.
I really liked it.
Since then, I've had small bare trees outside more than once.
Sometimes on the front porch.
Sometimes on the open back deck.
In 2012, it snowed on Christmas Day in north Texas.
The first snowfall on Christmas Day in decades.
A magical day.
Then, in January 2013, we had snow again.
Our large tree that had been decorated in the living room
was sitting on the deck awaiting disposal
when the snowstorm hit. Snow covered the tree, and
we had another magical moment that winter.
For Christmas 2013, the breakfast sunspace has
the bare, fresh Fraiser fir, three olive tree topiaries,
a couple of ivy topiaries, and a cluster of paperwhites
in a holly decorated bowl.
The paperwhite narcissi are sitting atop two red books.
The New Testament English Version for the Deaf
belonged to my dad.
I gave it to him for Christmas one year.
After he passed away, my mom gave it back to me.
Inside is the card I enclosed to Daddy.
Daddy was not deaf.
This New Testament is a translation by a
Bible Translation Center that I have supported
in a variety of ways for almost forty years.
So, this New Testament is special for
several reasons.
The old blue chippy high chair with its woven rush seat
was used by different children family members and
children of our dearest close friends over the years.
Lots of memories of little ones who sat in that chair.
Yes, I like this year's simple fresh greenery
in the breakfast sunspace.
Simple fresh greenery
complement the old white wicker planter,
the locker wire basket, the galvanized bucket,
the red books, the well-loved high chair,
and my memories of childhood Christmases.
❦
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