Creative Designs By Jackie: Every Christmas Tree Has A Story

As I was doing the usual having my son and grandson carry in all the Christmas ornaments, Christmas tree from the garage I was overwhelmed with all the boxes and what I have collected over the years.

While putting together my tree and fluffing the branches something I have done for over 50 years between my helping my mother to doing my own. Wow, 50 years that is allot of Christmas trees, since Thanksgiving I have sorted through the boxes and carefully took out each Santa Claus, Angel to make sure nothing is broken. I moved between Halloween and Thanksgiving so things were everywhere.

So this Sunday, I put on my favorite Christmas CD, mixed up my favorite Cinnamon Nut Cake and put it in the oven. To put me in the mood, and oh my did it ever put me in the mood, the smell of cinnamon is soothing. I have found each ornament has a special meaning to me like; my daughters, sons and grandchildren first ornaments to the ones I find every year. Every mother and grandmother knows how special these are. Over the years my mother lost all the glass ornaments she cherished, so I have none so I have searched garage sales, craft fairs and flee markets to see if I can find any of the older glass ornaments. I have found some over the years, but not many. Over the years I started my own collection of glass ornaments some of them are Santa Claus's, Snowmen and Angels. I started a few years ago my tradition of giving my daughters and close friends on Thanksgiving a ornament to put on their own Christmas tree.When my granddaughter was born I added her into this tradition. One year a very good friend gave me a set of Norah Ark ornaments so my grandchildren could have something to put on the tree when we gather to decorate it. They are stars and balls with animals on them, so cute. Homemade ornaments from ex-sister-in-law that are gorgeous. The love and time she spent meant allot to me. I think that is what a Christmas tree really is love, memories of our families. Maybe it is my age this year decorating filled me with allot of love, tears and thoughts of the people that has touched my life over the years. My only sorrow this year is that I was trying to open one of my glass boxes and dropped it and all of the ornaments broke.

This is a picture of my tree before I started: Please excuse all the white. I just moved into my home and I am not done unpacking or decorating the house.

Here is some of my Santa's and one of my Winter paintings.

I had to add this one, Pearl my son's dog is on Santa Patrol.

Here is a picture of my tree half way done. Just found out another box of Christmas stuff is at my daughter's. More goodies coming. Maybe the lost cookie jar.