My life is defined in two very separate parts – before and after my second marriage! When it came to Christmas I never used to even own a Christmas tree. I was always away for our main holiday before Christmas and came home in the New Year. It all seemed rather pointless to have a tree and decorations – how baa humbug did I used to be!
Having a family changes everything doesn’t it. I’ve always believed that Christmas is ALL about children, making the season magical, making memories. So at the age of 41 I had a Christmas tree! We lost Daddy P’s father a few months before Monkey was born, and inherited his lovely Christmas tree. We’d been given some garden centre vouchers when we got married in the September and held some back to buy Christmas decorations – we had nothing. As Daddy P is in the fruit and veg business I’ve always looked out for something appropriate for our tree – now we have a nice collection of apples, pears and grapes. We also have a glass display of fruit that comes out at Christmas time. Daddy P hates tinsel so it’s always been banned – I have a feeling that this year might be the last tinsel-free Christmas. Monkey will have more input next year I think.
I love fairly natural colours on a Christmas Tree, so went for autumnal colours to start with. Last year Monkey made a few decorations at the Children’s Centre, we have a Wooden Soldier to remind me of friends in Germany and their Christmas markets, we have a chocolate filled Santa, some Ravensburger puzzle baubles, a few bells we made earlier in the year and our Gingerbread stars from earlier this week and a lovely decoration from a company I’ve been reviewing for. Monkey was allowed to buy his own decoration for the tree this year – he picked a ring of bells.
I love the fact that our tree will evolve over the years ahead. I want Monkey to pick something new for the tree each year. This year we’ve used a paper Angel I made, next year who knows what will top our tree!
The only thing I’m hoping for this year, is that Brewster the cat, isn’t quite as keen on the Christmas tree as Brewster the kitten was last year. He spent most of last Christmas, in the tree, eating the tree, knocking the tree over, breaking baubles. This year, he does seem a little less interested ……. so far!
Linking up with The Sticking Fingers Blog and this weeks Photo Gallery.
It’s a nice tradition if he does pick something for the tree each year, my mum always buys the boys a new one with their name each year, they look forward to seeing what she will give them! Your tree looks beautiful x
Thank you
Your tree looks beautiful
Thank you
Lovely idea to make the tree evolve with you all as a family
We’ve had some more additions today as Monkey’s been making things at school 🙂
Beautiful tree, so many of our memories are tied up in certain decorations and getting them out each year feels like revisiting old friends.
Doesn’t it just, I’d forgotten about some of them, lovely to unwrap them and the memories flood back
Very true
Its great to see a tree evolve each year and yours really does look beautiful Mary. How wonderful too that you have Monkey adding his creations too. We’ve just had a couple POD’s made put on ours!
We’ve added a few more things these last couple of days, from school and homemade bits 🙂