Nearly all of us grew up with little habits and behaviors that were repeated over and over in our homes. From year to year, we put out the same decor (mostly), cook the same meals, and often see the same family. We lose a few people over the years as time goes by, and we hope to remember them fondly.
I became a step-father in 1997 when I married and got this sweet, little brown-eyed girl, Mercedes. (We adopted each other in 2002). In 1999, we added to the family another little girl, Noel, and again in 2000 with a baby brother, Noah. Early in family life, we made decorating the Christmas tree an event to look forward to, a real production. Mom unwrapped the precious treasured ornaments of days gone by from their newsprint cocoons where they’d been stored for the last eleven months. The little ones helped all they could, putting a pile of ornaments on the bottom branches of our nine-foot tree. The older daughter and Idid the rest. I have ornaments that belonged to my parents in the 1950s. Each ornament is placed on the tree with care as the many memories flood back. Thanksgiving night, 2001, we decided to play Bing Crosby’s White Christmas on the VCR while we decorated our family Christmas tree. We let the movie run in the background, and the soundtrack added to the evening’s cheer. Earlier that year, I had gotten my first digital camera, and the holidays were a perfect time to grab snapshots of my children. As each of my children hung ornaments on the tree, I started to snap the shutter. In no time, I had a handful of very special images.
Visiting the local Michael’s Craft Store, I found some reindeer refrigerator magnets. These would be perfect for the recent pics of the kids. I grabbed a handful. I went a step further and got some green floral wire and some hot glue. After a trip to the local camera store, I had miniature prints of each of my children. Some went on the fridge, and some went on the tree. I made custom gift tags using the kid’s photos on our little inkjet printer. Yes, I was picture-happy!
Now, it’s twenty-plus years later. My oldest lives in San Antonio with her family. The two younger “kids” are still here in Springfield. Decorating the tree is still a tradition we enjoy and something we truly make an effort to enjoy together. We make this effort and honor this unofficial “commitment” to spend this time together each year. Having my kids around brings immeasurable joy. As the ornaments get unwrapped, it’s all “Here, Dad, this is yours,” as I hang many special colored memories.
I hope this continues for years to come. Noel will be getting a tree of her own very soon. (Engagement does that, ya know.) Make those traditions happen, create new ones as the opportunities arise, and of course—take lots and lots of pictures!
Merry Christmas!
