She usually would begin to decorate for Christmas in early November. She always had new "tweaks" to improve upon what she had previously done, and with technological advances, she was constantly updating, like to a fully lighted tree that she (or I) didn't have to string. She had some of the most fragile ornaments I've ever seen, and she wasn't afraid to display them, even when the grandkids were little. They all learned very quickly not to touch the pretties. It was fun when she would have them "help" her decorate. They loved doing it with their Mimi.
She never had just one tree, as long as I can remember. When we were little, they were always real fir trees. That was always a trip! She had to pick JUST the RIGHT one, the one that had the perfect proportions & was the perfect height. It never turned out well if she had to try to "shape" the tree. Oops! Oh no! Oops! We usually got our trees at Georgetown Square. There was the one especially memorable year that she wanted to "flock" the tree to make it look like it was laden with snow. I don't know what that "flocking" was made of, but it was a white, sticky powder that hardened once it was blown onto the tree. She & my dad were outside on our front porch (we lived in Grabill, just across the street from Grabill Missionary Church at the time) in the freezing cold, trying to use their vacuum cleaner to blow the stuff on the tree. It clumped & clogged & got all over the place. I don't think I've ever seen them laugh so hard! That is a precious memory we will never forget!
We were all delighted when fake trees became more realistic & affordable. No more sticky, clumpy trees! We always had our own little trees in our own bedrooms, along with a very old wooden stable for Mary, Joseph & Baby Jesus. It had a wind-up music box that played "Away In A Manger". I loved falling to sleep listening to it play.
My mom was never into multi-colored lights. It was always soft & serene blue lights, with some white ones in there too. She wanted to create a peaceful, welcoming, calming Christmas setting. It was so beautiful when she got the bushes out front all lit up, and put the blue bulbs in the outside lights. Then she had the fake candles in the windows, with blue bulbs, of course. Candles were always lit throughout the holiday. And she always had her ceramic creations displayed all over the house - a Santa cookie jar, a huge nativity set, carolers of different sizes, elves, snowmen, Mary & Joseph... She knew how to make a home beautiful, comfortable & inviting.
Her trees were always STUFFED with ornaments, balls, icicles, bows, garland, flower arrangements, stars, and at least 5000 lights. I have never figured out how she stuffed a tree with so much stuff & yet made it look so glamorous! She usually had the main tree in the dining room, with a white tree in the living room. She would use "frost spray" to make the mirrors & windows look icy. She changed the plates & glasses to match the blue color scheme & she always seemed to have goodies galore during the holidays.
It was magical for us girls to watch her transform our home into a winter wonderland. Every picture on the wall was changed for Christmas. Every photo in frames were switched out to Christmas memories. Even our towels were changed to match the theme! Christmas was her favorite time of year, and it became ours, too.
This year is so different! Because of the toll her illness has taken on my dad's health, as well as my own & Connie's, to some extent, we haven't even begun to decorate. It seems wrong, I know. My amazing aunts have decorated the outside of the house, which my dad loves. But he said it's up to us girls to get the tree up. And that's what we aim to do tomorrow. We're going to meet at his house in the afternoon, bring the tree down & get started on making it the most beautiful tree in the world, in honor of the most beautiful wife, mother, grandmother, sister, daughter & friend. It won't be at all like she would do it, but it will keep her spirit close to our hearts anyway.
Happy 2nd month in Heaven, Mother! Although my heart aches to talk to you just one more time, I know that some day that time will come. I doubt we'll talk about Christmas trees, though! Oh, what a comfort it brings to know that we will be united together in Heaven through Christ's atonement on the Cross, which was made possible by his humble birth in a manger all those years ago. Thank you, Jesus, for your sacrificial love for us!
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