tree of memories

I know I need to take my Christmas tree down, but I hate to see it go. I love the fragrance of my stately Fraser fir (yes, I can still detect its scent after five weeks), the warm glow of the multi-colored lights, and - most of all - the memories associated with my vast collection of ornaments. One of things I enjoy most about the Christmas season is decorating the tree, since as I pull ornament after ornament out of our green and red plastic storage containers, I am reminded of story after story. 

My most cherished ornaments are the oldest ones in my collection - three glass ornaments with felt designs (1971), a pair of purple felt mittens (1970), and a felt Santa head festooned with sequins (1969) - all handmade my one of my parents' friends. As a teenager, I acquired a UT football player made of dough, so he makes an annual appearance among the branches. The gold glass heart and a purple ball nestled among the needles were acquired in December 1985, ordered from a catalog as Paul and I prepared to celebrate our first Christmas together as husband and wife. Of course, several ornaments were hand-crafted by Chaney  at various points in his childhood, including: a crumbling yellow bell and a green tree, both formed from dough and strung on lengths of green yarn; a gingerbread man made from sandpaper suspended by red yarn; a bell made of an inverted plastic cup with Chaney's picture taped inside; and two green construction paper wreaths featuring photos of Chaney in the center. A delicate glass sand spur hangs near the star - an ornament I procured on one of our spring break visits to Florida's Gulf Coast. The Mickey Mouse head covered in an array of small, colorful bells was a souvenir that I chose when we stayed at the Animal Kingdom Lodge on our visit to Disney World to celebrate Chaney's 16th birthday in 2006. The majority of the remainder of the ornaments were acquired on family vacations, such as: the moose in the canoe (Maine), the bear on a bicycle (Yellowstone), Santa hiding behind a starfish (Hilton Head), sled dogs in a sleigh (Alaska), Santa riding a whale (Hawaii), a UFO (Roswell, New Mexico), a glass chili pepper (Santa Fe), a tin guitar (Mexico), Santa clinging to the Eiffel Tower (Paris). 

I know the ornaments need to return to their red and green plastic off-season homes. But for at least one more night, I'll enjoy the show and treasure the memories.