The Memory Holder

Today we put up our artificial Christmas tree, a new one. It feels like we just did this, I said. Every year I say this because every year flies by so quickly. Maybe we should just leave it up year round, he said. But the Christmas tree wouldn't be nearly as special if I see it all the time. I would also miss the annual ritual of decorating it.

So I went down to the basement to get the box that holds most of my ornaments. First I hung several glass ornaments in my favorite color, red. Then I got out the partitioned box that holds almost all of the special ornaments I've collected over the years and carefully selected a spot for all of my favorites.

Santas and angels and snowmen. 

Chipmunks and mice and deer.

Snowflakes and sleds and polar bears.

There's the knitted mini Christmas stocking that my Grandma C. made and a knitted cap from someone I can't recall. There's the felt mouse that hangs with a candy cane.

Many of my treasures were given to Kent or me or us by people we worked with who are no longer in our lives. In some cases, I couldn't even tell you who because I wasn't smart enough to write it down. But I know the gold deer came from Alan's wife. And the delicate glass shell was from Mr. Hamilton's partner Lisa.

There's the set of blue snowflakes made out of beads and the white tree and cross, also made of beads. There's the giant feather covered ball that looks like it would be quite cat enticing so I put it out of reach of inquiring paws. 

There are two sets of glass Hallmark ornaments from 1985-1987, the years that Kent and I worked together for Kennedy and Coe in Salina. Also from the Salina years, two Garfield the cat ornaments. From my job at FPPA, I have a collection of wood ornaments, each one a gift from Hancock Timber. I see them and remember our trip to Richmond, VA and our stay at the historic Jefferson Hotel. 

When I get out the angel and the violin, I think of a graceful redhead named Amy who went to Jazzercise classes with me years ago. My pink Precious Moments ornament - the only pink ornament I've ever had - was a gift from another Jazzercise friend, Janeen.

Memories. Even the box that I carefully pack my ornaments in evokes memories. The box originally held Libbey juice glasses - a wedding gift from my college friend Cherri.

My tree brightens up a corner of the family room for a month every year. But it holds precious memories, precious moments in time.