Christmas Tree Traditions

Are you a traditionalist or a game changer at Christmas time?  Growing up, I was in a family of game changers.  The year before I was born, my mother put fiberglass “angel hair” on the Christmas tree.  She had a toddler at the time.  I’m pretty sure that would be against all kinds of safety rules today but, surprisingly, my brother managed to survive it without any lasting damage.  Later, we were the ultimate 1960s family with a silver aluminum tree centered in front of the bow picture window of our 1960s ranch house.  The tree was hung with red Shiny Brite ornaments and illuminated by the requisite rotating color wheel.  I loved that tree!  In the 1970s, after my father retired from the army and we settled down on eleven hilltop acres in Tennessee, my parents often bought live Christmas trees.  And I mean ones to plant in the yard after Christmas.  This meant we couldn’t leave the lights burning on the tree for too long at a time as my parents worried about damaging the tree.  It also necessitated a huge washtub to hold the root ball, which was covered by a white sheet.  By the time my parents moved into a condo, there was a row of gorgeous, two-story-tall white pines along the property line.  It was so amazing to see those giant pines and remember that they were once our Christmas trees.  In addition, we seldom decorated the tree the same way.  One year we covered the tree with silk poinsettias and red ribbons, some years there was shiny tinsel garland, one year I made a garland of ribbon chains.  Even the location changed.  The tree was usually placed in the family room, but sometimes the living room. 

1993

Now I am in a family of hard-core traditionalists.  Even moving the tree to the other side of the living room causes an outcry.  There has been some flexibility on garlands, but the ornaments are always the same (although the collection increases in size every year).  The most longstanding tree tradition in my family, though, is also the best.  We always go to a tree farm and cut down our own tree.  In 1993, when our son (the youngest) was not quite two, we made our first trek to a tree farm.  We had moved from the city to one of the more remote collar counties outside Chicago.  Our friends from the city thought it would be fun for all of us and our little toddlers to cut our own trees.  We had a blast and a tradition was born.  Our friends, on the other hand, had a miserable time and went back to tree lots the following year.

2010

When we moved to our current house, about fifteen years ago, we searched around for the perfect tree farm, and we found it.  It was about 35 miles away and had the absolute best cider donuts you can imagine.  Oh my god, a hot cake donut dusted with cinnamon sugar after a cold tramp around the fields is heaven!  And we always tramp.  We never take the hayride, the wagon, or any other mode of transportation.  Sadly, our favorite tree farm closed in 2009.  Last year, we found a new place.  It is a little further away, and there are no donuts (sigh), but dogs are welcome and, get this, there are reindeer and even a live camel.  I still have more than a week to wait, but I’m really looking forward to heading out to the tree farm.  I just hope it snows.

What a Zoo!

These will make your tail wag!

Look at these cute dog prints I found at Michael’s.  I put them in inexpensive clip frames, and voila! bathroom art.  They are by Ken Bailey, an artist from Washington.  You can see more of his art at www.kenbailey.com. 

A golden retriever always adds class

What is it with me and animal art?  I love it!  It all started with a print of chickens.  The original was painted by an acquaintance of my mother’s, a lady named Elsa Lockert, who ran a gallery and frame shop in Ashland City, Tennessee some thirty years ago.

We have a lot of windows and not a lot of walls, so we put artwork up above.

Close-up of the originals

Over the years, the kitchen barnyard increased by two more chicken prints, bought at art shows, and a chicken painting my daughter bought from a street artist in London’s Hyde Park.   All this fowl artwork is set off by chicken wire wallpaper, which I love for its whimsical graphic punch. 

I have two more fabulous chickens, painted by a friend, in my dining room. One of these is painted on the seat of a chair.   

The dining room also houses two bucolic sheep prints, both of which were done by an Iowa artist, Connie Bieber.  Looking at her peaceful sheep makes me want to be a shepherd!  Aren't these beautiful?

Both sheep prints have been cropped here to straighten
 them up.  I had to angle the  frames to reduce glare from the glass.

The collection of advertising signs in our family room also adds to the critter count with a Crow’s rooster, a Pilch DeKalb chicken, a Finck's pig, and a Red Goose Shoes goose.

Then there are the jointed wooden animals.  Two chickens (natch!), two frogs, a cat, and a zebra.

On the landing window sill

This pretty much rounds out the menagerie for now.  But I’m always on the lookout!