MARY LAMPHERE AUTHOR

I’m not one of those fancy themed-tree people. My Christmas trees are collections of years of kids’ crafts, photos, gifts, sale items, and freebies. My style is chaotic and random. Wherever there is a space on the tree, the next ornament goes.

I have matching personalized glitter balls that were gifted in 1988 and the peanut man I received in an ornament exchange many years ago. Our first family dough ornament and the teddy bear given to us by Nicole’s first babysitters. The Irish cottage we received before I ever visited Ireland. The ice cream cone craft and Santa face that have held up pretty well considering they were made by my kids over thirty years when they were in preschool! And the fat jolly snowman a friend gave me because she said it reminded her of me.

This is just a sampling, neither of us has all day to go through two trees worth of history. I do think the trendy trees are beautiful but they don’t hit home for me the way mine do. All of this kitschy decor is associated with people, places, and time. I love my hodge-podgy trees. And I love reminiscing each year as I unpack the decorations. A chance to remember good times and the many people who are no longer with us.