Giving Voice to My Astonishment

     One of my favorite Christmas traditions is decorating our home with ornaments that I’ve collected over the past thirty-one years. Every year, usually early December, I go into the attic and drag down boxes and boxes of Christmas memories. I unwrap each tissue paper-covered item with great care and place them on the floor all around me. I spend time remembering (or as I grow a bit older: “trying to remember”) where each ornament or decoration came from.
     Several snowmen came from a friend’s crafty Momma (thanks, Linda and Lori). My sisters also contributed to my collection of ornaments. Nieces did, too. My husband bought many in year-round Christmas shops while we were on family beach vacations. Preschool students gave me several and I still remember the ones who did twenty-two years later, as I hold their gifts in my hands. I made many of them myself back when I crafted and sold my handiwork to shops and at arts and crafts shows. Some I bought at those same shows from fellow crafters. Some my husband made with me. I remember us sitting at our kitchen table and painting Santas, nativity scenes, and nutcrackers. My Mom made a lot of them–mostly angels–but also donkeys, staunch Democrat that she was. Some she and I made together–how the time goes by and too quickly.
And my favorite and most beloved ornaments of all are the ones my daughters’ precious little hands created through their preschool-elementary school years. Fashioned out of pretzels, card stock, magazine ads, Pringles lids, cereal, clay, sticks, pom-poms, nutshells, googly-eyes, macaroni, rocks, dough, and tissues–these, yes these, are the ones that melt my heart and bring tears to my eyes. I miss those little girls who created Christmas ornaments; loud, joyful, exciting Christmas mornings; and a Mom with a heart full of Christmas memories. I’m happy I’ll spend Christmas with them here at home and we’ll be sure to reminisce about Christmases past. 
From my house to yours, Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Season’s Greetings.  

Below is a sampling of Santa Claus decorations and ornaments that are displayed around my house. There are too many ornaments for the tree, so most of them hang on red-beaded-jute garlands in my doorways, and anywhere else I can find room.