Traditions!

Jeff and I were discussing the other day how great traditions are for the holidays, and yet how hard it is to watch the kids get older and start their own families and their own traditions. Sometimes we wonder why things have to change, and yet that is just life. I remember Jeff and I having quite a few discussions about who’s house we were going to for Christmas, and some times we didn’t always agree. I really wanted to spend it with my family, and Jeff felt the same about his. So you try to juggle the time between both families and keep everyone happy. Then finally the kids get old enough to tell you that they don’t want to go any where for Christmas, but want to stay at their own house. Yes life, traditions and everything else changes throughout the years, and so we need to some how learn to Go With The Flow!

We have tried to start some new traditions so that it would make up for the ones that we seem to have to change, some times that works and some times it doesn’t.  One of the traditions that we had when I was a  kid , and is still a great memory for me… was our Rotating Christmas Tree! Yes, I said ROTATING, it went all the way around, with the lights and music. I remember just laying under the Christmas tree and just watching the ornaments go by with the icicles too. I remember Mom insisting to put each icicle on separately, we weren’t to just take a bunch and throw them on. It seemed like a pain at the time, but when the tree was all decorated, it did look magical.

 

Our rotating tree was the hit of the neighborhood when we lived in the city, and the talk of all our friends when we moved to the country. Dad looked as we got older for the rotating Christmas Tree Stand, but they went out of business. People couldn’t believe we had a tree stand that you could put a live tree in with water, and it had a place for the lights to plug in ( and no the cords didn’t get wrapped around the tree ) plus, it played 5-6 Christmas songs, it was magical that was for sure.

Then when our kids were all little, my Mom and Dad called one night and told us that he found the Rotating Christmas Tree Stand at Sears, and he ordered 5 of them and was having them sent to our homes. I remember the first time we put our tree in that stand, I felt like the years had melted away and I was a little girl again. This stand you had to use with an artificial tree and it didn’t play music but still… it was magical and a wonderful tradition from my family, it was one of our best presents ever!

Our rotating tree stand made us happy for quite a few years and then it broke and since then we haven’t found another on, it makes me sad each year when we put out our Christmas decorations and I realize we don’t have that any more, what a fun tradition. Oh another funny thing that happened when we received our rotating stand from my Dad was, as the kids helped me decorate the tree, I sorta stuck some of the (not so pretty ) ornaments to the back of the tree. Then when we were all finished and turned on the tree, I laughed to myself when I realized I had put all those ornaments together, and so when that side of the tree came around well….let’s just say we had to intermix them in with all the rest of the ornaments to make it look pleasing to the eye!

So as I sit here tonight, trying to figure out just what traditions we are going to keep or change this Christmas Eve, I look at the tree and remember how many wonderful traditions we have had throughout the years, things may change, but the love of our family doesn’t , nor the meaning of Christmas … that is what we need to remember.

Good night dear friends!

" The perfect Christmas tree? All Christmas trees are perfect!" -- Charles N. Barnard

"Remember, if Christmas isn't found in your heart, you won't find it under a tree." -- Charlotte Carpenter

"Whatever else be lost among the years, Let us keep Christmas still a shining thing: Whatever doubts assail us, or what fears, Let us hold close one day, remembering Its poignant meaning for the hearts of men. Let us get back our childlike faith again." -- Grace Noll Crowell