Boxing Up Christmas Decorations

Today I spent  the day cleaning up and putting away the Christmas decorations.  It took me longer to do this than I had planned, maybe it was because my decorations hold memories.

I have decided to keep only the decorations that have memories or meaning to me, so first I sorted out the two main plastic containers that I was going to store these decorations in.  I have a box now of old Christmas decoration that's going to go to DI, maybe someone else will have a use for them, but for me, decorations filled with memories will be my keepsakes.

I started by gathering the decorations from the different rooms and putting them on the dinning room table.  As I looked at each one, pictures came to mind of time and places, where and when, and who they were from and the stories behind them....

I put in a small box, a battery operated Backwoods Outhouse that my son Mark had given me years ago.  He said at the time it was for memories of the Outhouse that was in the mountains, where we spent our family vacations.  I put it in the bathroom on the sink this year, so he would see it when he was here for Christmas.

I package up a stain glass work of art, of a poinsettia that my daughter Marta made. It sets in a piece of wood that you put a light behind, the light shines though and makes the glass sparkle.

My granddaughter Shawna has made two angels for me.  The first on is made out of straw and is very simple, the other one is made with beautiful ribbon, gold and cream color satin, different widths and very angelic.

I have a Christmas red, green and white quilted wall hanging block that my daughter Ann made.  I love quilts and quilt patterns, so this is in my sewing room.

My cousin Barbara is a beautiful quilter and she has made me a lovely Christmas quilted table runner.  I cherish this for the friendship we share.

I have a lighted glass block with the word Believe on the front, tied with a lovely Christmas bow made by my sweet daughter-in-law Susan.  Her sweet spirit is a joy to me.

I have a set of 4 blocks, red and green, with the letter N, O, E, L, painted on.  This was made by my granddaughter Cara and this year I had them in my Red Room.

On the inside of my front door hung the face of "Santa" made from a bleach bottle.  My son Mark made this for me when we were living in Texas.  I had to smile each time I went out the front door seeing Santa and thinking of my son and his soft heart.

I have a Christmas rabbit made by my Mother, sitting on the dresser in another room.  On the mirror in my front room, hung Christmas Bells with a full, red velvet ribbon bow, also made by my dear mother.

I have cross stitch pictures of Old Santa's that I have stitched, plus 4 stuffed cross stitched nutcrackers sitting in front of my fireplace.

In my sun room from the mantel of the fireplace, hung the 2 Christmas stockings that my daughter Marta made and sent to us, that lonely Christmas in our Texas apartment years ago.

But one of my decorations that I treasure the most, is the 16x20 picture that I had hanging in my entry this year.  It is of a Christmas tree, with Christmas lights a glow, it is on a back ground of red velvet.  The tree is made out of old jewelry, earrings, pins, brooches, bracelets, it shines, it sparkles and glows of many colors.  My aunt Sissie made this for my mother many years ago, and now I have this beautiful keepsake.  Each time I looked at this picture, I remember my dear aunt Sissie, and it makes me feel good just seeing some of her jewelry that she had worn and the sweet memories I have of her.

At Christmas time the stores are filled with all the latest in Christmas decorations for your home and tree.  They are all so beautiful and lovely, but the decorations, that to me, have the most meaning, are the ones that come from the heart. They are selected or made and given to me, with love from the giver.

Christmas in 2010 is now just a memory, but one to remember.....