Trees of Their Own

Once upon a time, my brother and I were kids the ages my kids are now.

We had friends and teachers and arts-n-crafts and allowances.  We began to have a few Christmas ornaments of our own.

Our mom began to have a bunch of ornaments of her own and very definite ideas on decorating.  (Yes, she would tell us where to rehang things.)

I, myself, decided I wanted a Christmas tree of my own.  With her blessing, I walked down the street to a lot with pine saplings, and I cut off two branches-- one for me and one for my brother.  We got old coffee cans, filled them with sand and had our own trees in our rooms.  I was thrilled!

But, the cut-your-own-tree wasn't quite all I hoped.  It was a yellow, long-leaf pine variety, known more for its sharp-smelling, sticky sap. Ornaments didn't hang well.  I might have brought in a bug or two.

I was amazed when my mom bought us mini-trees next year AND a box of small satin balls AND a few wooden ornaments!  Having my own proper Christmas tree on my dresser made me feel special.  I had store-bought ornaments and ones I made myself.

Years and years later, my brother and I, of course, grew up.  My brother lost interest in his tree and my mom used it to decorate a spacious half-bath.  I kept using mine at college and in apartments.  Later, I enjoyed it at my workplaces when I owned a full-size tree for my home.  It was with the coming of kids and the exit from the workplace that the little tree found itself boxed up for a while.

A several years ago, my mom gave my brother's little tree and all its ornaments to my son.  I unboxed my tree for little Me-Too, his sister.  We used them on and off, but end of last Christmas, I sat down and properly divided the ornaments between the trees, while extracting the vintage and special ones.  For when I again have a small tree of my own.....

DLG's Tree

MLB's Tree

They joyfully decorated their little trees, and they felt very special.