We disagree.
If it were up to me, nothing new would be hung on our Christmas tree. I like ornaments that have been with me many and many a Christmas. If I could have the same Christmas tree year after year after year, I would.
My wife – who also loves our old Christmas ornaments – is more reasonable. There should be room on the tree for both new and old ornaments, she believes.
Hence, we have more up-to-date ornaments – pickles and tigers and Santas and birds and airplanes and flowers and other things that weren’t considered as Christmas tree ornaments when I was a kid.
And back then was the real Christmas. Don’t you agree?
Round.
Back then most Christmas tree ornaments were round. Round glass balls. Some ornaments were in the shape of ice sickles or teardrops. Bells, too. Ornaments could look like bells.
I have several of each in my collection. And I make sure they go on the tree first and in a prominent place.
One of my favorites is a blue plastic bell. Close examination of the bell’s surface reveals a crusty white substance. This is the residue of the year my mother decided to flock our Christmas tree.
Flocked trees were all the rage back then. But flocked trees were expensive. So, my mother bought a couple of cans of Flock-o – or whatever it was called – and sprayed the whole tree. The spray hardened into a dull white crust that permanently adhered to some ornaments – the bell and a small green wreath I also still have.
The pride of my ancient ornament collection is a small red leather-like boot. It’s kind of dried out. But there is a space for an inscription near the top of the boot. And in my Aunt Mary’s small, precise handwriting you can see she inscribed “Baby Paul’s First Christmas.”
Now, that’s tradition!
Well, that’s my tradition, anyway.
And that boot always gets pride of place on the tree. My wife understands what it means to me, how it is a tangible, evocative object that recalls for me a time and place and people gone but joyfully remembered.
My wife hangs some of her family’s ornaments near my boot. I’m glad they are round glass ornaments.
Well, that’s my Christmas tree.
I hope yours is loaded with tradition and good memories, too.
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Paul Sassone is a freelance columnist for Pioneer Press.