Schultz Party of Four

The Christmas Tree

was finally assembled today,

after much encouragement from C

We put it together (a fake, obviously) and wrapped the lights (we received this as a gift...pre pre-lit tree era) Carolyn helped with a few ornaments, but then was off to nap. I spent the afternoon in a quiet house listening to Christmas music and really appreciating the tradition I have experienced since I was born of a Hallmark Ornament tree. I took for granted this heritage, and have recently even toyed with the idea of abandoning the concept all-together for the classier, ribbon and balls look. But this year I was nearly teary-eyed as I remembered the years in Albuquerque when we would BEG my mom to put up the tree, and gently unpack each red box, gingerly remove the lamb with wool stockings, the shepherd, Santa in the innertube and swim trunks. And then we would arrive back in KC to see the same ornaments on Grandma's tree, making our distance seem a little less far. There is something comforting about bringing out the same little elf, or snow man, or angel for your tree year-after-year, like an old friend who holds a little piece of every Christmas for you. Now I am passing on the same tradition to my girls, as I point out the little elves working in Santa's workshop, and the angel telling the story of Jesus. I am grateful that this is something from my childhood that I can pass along to C and J.

x

The sheep with leggings, Santa's workshop
and the angel named Katie Beth (my nickname as a child)

click the images to see them larger, they're pretty cute

a newer addition, but some of my favorites,
they are each children in a Christmas pageant telling the story of Jesus
by reciting versus from the book of Luke

This is not a Hallmark, but a handmade design...
I was instructed to bring a homemade ornament to class
(probably first or second grade)
and my dad fashioned this star out of cardboard and aluminum
I can remember standing in the kitchen watching him
assemble the 3-D creation and thinking he was fantastically brilliant

The finished product...