In my family, as with many other families I am sure, the ornaments on the tree tell the story of our family.
When Dave and I got married in 2001, it came to light that his ornaments had been lost in one of his many moves. He felt certain he knew where they were, but sadly, they were never recovered. This was a box of ornaments that had been his dating back to his very first Christmas. Though he is not one to let one thing ruin the whole holiday, it was as if part of him were missing.
With only a few days left until Christmas, I headed to the local craft store and bought a dozen plain ornaments, a medium sized storage box, some stickers, trim, ribbon, glue, and mod-podge craft sealer. I got right to work making him a set of ornaments that would delight him, and fill the void of his lost Christmas history. After all, I thought, we were newly married and we could start our own family history in ornaments. I made one with the radio station logo on it where we met. I made another that commemorated an annual camping trip that helped to facilitate our destined union, and I made one that reminds us of September 11, 2001. There are eight or ten in total and I could not wait for him to open this gift. I even decorated the box to store them in.
When Christmas arrived, I handed him the gift, and much to my dismay, he was not as excited as I had hoped. This was a big let down for both of us. I thought the least he could do was acknowledge that I had hand made him these meaningful ornaments, and be happy about that. What I was missing was that the ornaments he had lost were so meaningful because of how many years they had been with him. It was not that they were anything extraordinary at all. It was simply the time, and the history of Christmas's past that they represented.
Here we are six years later, with a four year old son who now has his own box of ornaments. Decorating our tree this year made up for the letdown of Christmas 2001. Dave opened the box of handmade ornaments and showed them to Mason. He told him about how we met, our camping trip, our trip to Yosemite, and why we need to remember September 11. Every year that passes, those ornaments mean more and more.
It is not the ornament, it is what it represents, and how long it has reminded you who you are.
2 comments:
Thanks for sharing this story. I had to laugh a bit because I know the feeling of preparing a gift and giving it to someone and thinking....why aren't you as excited as I am?!?!?! The word tradition comes from the Latin word traditio which means "to hand down" or "to hand over." It is a beautiful thing how this tradition has come to bear the meaning and sentiment that was lost, and it can only happen through the patient lens of time and love.
-alice
Every Christmas when I put "Our First Christmas Together" ornament you made us, on the tree, it reminds me of what true friendship is, and how important genuine friendships are to one's circle of life.
Thank you ~ Diana
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