Cowfeathers Christmas Continues

Our living room is where we open presents on Christmas morning, and is where the family gathers in the evenings. This is where we put the tallest Canaan Fir we can find at the tree farm.

 On top of the old gun cabinet ( which holds our meagre and out-of-date electronic offering), Middlest has brought down her doll house for us all to enjoy, and has decorated it for Christmas.

And our tree. The "Family Tree". I has the traditional glass balls and such, but also features all the accumulated ornaments of our life experiences and stages. Trips to places near and far, mementos from the various states we've inhabited, and the ornaments from a box that showed up, randomly, with all my ornaments 20 years or so ago, and I hang them each year, wondering where they came from. Crocheted snowflakes made by Gram, ornaments gifted and made by friends. It has the ornaments made by the kids, each one sooooo precious to them at the time, and still holds a bit of their hearts. On the left side, towards the bottom is one made by Youngest. It looks a bit like a white question mark, with brown flames. This is "Rudolph", with hand shaped antlers. Most kindergartners had antler sized hands, but not Youngest.

 The preschool years collection also features pictures of the kids in hand-made ornaments; Eldest as an Angel in a cloud.

And Middlest in a puzzling ornament.

 About eye level is a clay rendition of "Oklahome" at Christmas. Oklahome was the first house Huz and I purchased in Oklahoma. My sister in law, Yvonne, sweetly made us an ornament of it in, maybe, 1997? and I've treasured it ever since.

 Towards the top of the tree is a little wooden sled, made of Popsicle sticks. I remember my mom, and her friend, Betsy, making hundreds of these one summer at our beach house. This was, likely, 1974? When I started decorating my own trees, I was bequeathed one, and each time I hang it I remember watching them repeat each step, over and over to create these little sleds. I think it was a good childhood lesson in persistence. I'm still not clear on why they created so many. Craft Fair? Fundraiser? Lots and lots of friends?

 Off near the fireplace is a sheep, made with the wool from one of our first ewes, a Suffolk named Fanny. She wears a collar of jingle bells, and makes so much less trouble than the real deal.

And, at the top? Our Angel. Huz and I were married on the beach in Hilton Head. A secluded area in Sea Pines, our wedding party had the beach, mostly, to ourselves. After the ceremony and reception right there near the water, the guests and participants built sand castles and flew kites on the beach. A curious resident asked me what was up. I told her we'd just been married and this was our party. She got very excited and said she had something for us, and she'd be right back. She dashed off down the beach, and came back shortly with a box, wrapped. Inside was this Angel, for our tree, she said. She made the Angel with shells, and sea oats and bits she'd found on the beach.

And there she has been each year for the past 18. Thank you kind stranger-lady! It is a wonderful memory each year.