When I was growing up in Tucson, Arizona, my family made the yearly pilgrimage to the Christmas tree lot. Unlike other places, Arizona rarely had snow at Christmas or any other time of the year. Unlike other families, we didn’t trek into the forest to cut a tree. Dad didn’t even own an ax or chain saw back then.
At the lot, I wandered among the trees, touching their branches, breathing in the aroma of fresh pine, and occasionally singing what little words I knew of “Oh Christmas Tree.” I wanted every tree. Because of my limited vision, my parents didn’t take my suggestions to heart. We finally found the perfect tree and hauled it home. Then, the real fun began.
While Christmas music played on the phonograph, I watched, fascinated, as Mother and Dad, with meticulous care, strung the lights on the tree. At first, tinsel was used. But when my baby brother, then the cats, pulled it off the tree and dragged it all over the house, my parents gave up on that idea.
Once the lights were strung, the decorations were hung. I loved the colored glass balls. Mother showed me how to hang each one on a branch and take care that it wasn’t placed on the same branch as another ornament. We also had angels, snowmen, Santa Claus figurines, and, of course, candy canes, which didn’t last long after my younger brother developed an appetite for them. I believe most of the decorations were handed down from my grandmother or great-grandmother.
After we moved to Sheridan, Wyoming, in 1973 when I was twelve, we discovered that most tree lots were indoors. But it was still fun to purchase, take home, and decorate a Christmas tree. Nowadays, with just me in the house, I don’t bother with a tree or any decorations. Besides, there’s no room in my living room for a tree. Although I can appreciate Christmas trees and ornaments despite my visual impairment, if I’m the only one around to see them most of the time, to me, it’s not worth the time, money, and effort. Instead, I play recorded Christmas music when I’m working or doing other things.
Today, I’m singing two songs for the price of one. They’re both about decorating for the holidays. Click the link below to hear them and enjoy!
Deck the Halls/It’s beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas
How about you? What do you remember about decorating for the holidays when you were growing up? Did you cut a tree in the forest or buy one from a lot? What kind of decorations did you have? Were they handed down through generations?
New! The Red Dress
Copyright July 2019 by DLD Books
When Eve went to her high school senior prom, she wore a red dress that her mother had made for her. That night, after dancing with the boy of her dreams, she caught him in the act with her best friend. Months later, Eve, a freshman in college, is bullied into giving the dress to her roommate. After her mother finds out, their relationship is never the same again.
Twenty-five years later, Eve, a bestselling author, is happily married with three children. Although her mother suffers from dementia, she still remembers, and Eve still harbors the guilt for giving the dress away. When she receives a Facebook friend request from her old college roommate and an invitation to her twenty-five-year high school class reunion, then meets her former best friend by chance, she must confront the past in order to face the future.
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My Corner 