This is the biggest Christmas tree we have ever had. Its about ten feet tall. I couldn't reach the top even on the step ladder. After several years of little trees decorated with whatever because the ornaments were in storage, we decided to get a tree that took advantage of the height of our new living room ceiling for our first Christmas here.It has been fun to get out all the old lights and ornaments and see what works in this new context.
Another nostalgic element this year has been the music. When Mike and I got married in the seventies we went out on a limb and bought a pretty nice stereo for the time....a Marantz tuner and Phillips turntable. The turntable hadn't been working for a long time before we moved and I wasn't sure we had even kept it, but when we unpacked our storage unit, there it was. Mike went online and found replacement belts and switches and now it works as well as it ever did, so we can play the 45rpm albums from his childhood Christmases. The records are in surprisingly good shape with hardly any scratches or skips, so we have been wallowing in sixties arrangements of Christmas carols as we trim the tree.
As usual we have a number of Christmas items that used to belong to Mike's family. My parents are still living in their home, but Mike's dad has been in assisted living for some years. When he sold his house, all kinds of family things came to us, like the cardboard nativity scene. It was printed rather beautifully, but it is just flat cardboard cut-outs that you insert into tabs to make the tableau. We still have the original box, and it has been in use since the fifties. Some of the tabs are getting iffy, and the star on the roof is wobbly, but here it is again. It could be considered politically incorrect, designating one of the magi as "colored wise man" and setting him outside the stable with the camels. Still, for traditional decorating, it is wonderful.
Another decoration I like is the bird santa. It too is flat, but it is made of wood, not paper. It is nice to see him back on the mantel. I bought him at a craft fair years ago and have enjoyed his birdy progress ever since.
The power of these objects to revive memories and maintain continuity amidst so much change is remarkable, Each year that they endure they become clearer messengers from the past and sharper reminders of the irresistability of time. Fortunately they are also triggers of anticipation, helping us to get into the holiday spirit.
I hope everyone is enjoying the anticipation of Christmas.








