Happy Golden Days of Yore

As a kid, I’d listen to Judy Garland sing Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, and was always left wondering….happy golden days of your what?   Homonyms will get you every time.  Now I know better, and I can look at reminder after reminder of those days of yore hanging on my Christmas tree.  I suppose it’s this way for most, but when I hang an ornament, it’s like touching a bit of the past.  Especially this year.  I’m not really sure why, but I didn’t hang the usual pink-balls-that-tie-it-all-together, or the ones that fall into the just-because-they’re-in-the-ornament-box category.  I didn’t start out that way, but I ended up being more selective this year.  That, however, does not mean I have a less-than-full tree.  How full?  Pretty damn full.

After the lights and Glinda, the first ornament -ALWAYS – is the little pink paper star, a favor from Rebecca’s first birthday celebration.  Yep, I leave the years’ worth of Scotch tape on it….part of the charm.

 

The ruby red of the slippers and of Rutgers, Shirley and Judy….and those photo ornaments, chronicling Christmas through the years.  That was back when you had to put your own photo inside – now Shutterfly and a dozen other places will do it for you.

 

One of a million Oz ornaments.  When those go up, I sort them first.  Dorothy goes on, followed by Glinda, then the others.  Gotta have them disbursed fairly equally among the branches, right?  And lest I forget about our trek across the midwest to see the Laura Ingalls Wilder sites, I have this to remind me.

 

The decorated-within-an-inch-of-their-pink-life photo ornaments go on early in the process.  Aunt Mary would always request a recent photo, and have one made each year at Holiday Tree and Trim in Bayonne, NJ.  My color scheme may change, but I will never not hang them.

 

Favorites of the past (Barney for Rebecca) and of the past, present and future (Shirley, in case that wasn’t readily apparent).

 

The tree used to be full of princesses….this year Ariel represents.

 

Pa’s fiddle from Jane Levey.  So many pioneer holiday parties in first grade.  So many bonnets.

 

Quite a few of my favorite things – Shirley, Oz, Diet Coke and Bec.  That lovely handcrafted felt masterpiece was made when she attended a class holiday party when I taught kindergarten.  It always hangs on the tree….but always in the back.  #sorrynotsorry

 

Two more faves.  Just realized I need a Hamilton ornament.  When I go for the third time (yes, I have tickets), I’ll pick one up.

 

Thank goodness those My _____th Christmas ornaments stopped at 6.  Otherwise, I’d have no room for much else.

 

Mister used to climb the tree as a wee lad, then lap up the needle-filled water in the stand in later years.  Gone but not forgotten.

 

At least 15 years ago, before leg lamps were de rigueur, we spotted one as we were out on our annual see-the-lights sojourn on Christmas eve.  Next year, we had our own. And yes, when we put ‘er up we say, “Frag-ilay…must be Italian,” and “It’s a major award.”  All part of the process.

 

When Betsy Fila realized pink was my signature color, she found the pinkest ornaments she could….I love them.   And Aunt Mary once again made sure I had plenty o’ pink – this time in the form of the chandelier wreaths.

 

It wasn’t Christmas without a Lenox Oz figurine under the tree…at least until I collected them all.    Thanks, Santa.

 

I think these dolls could be ordered from the Parade section of the Sunday paper….I got a different one every year from my mother.  A few still come out to play in December.

 

Tell someone you like gingerbread, and this is what happens.  Who am I kidding?  I love it all.  I may or may not have added three gingerbread kids just this morning.

 

That’s it….Christmas chronicled.  A million pictures posted at once – that’s what happens when it’s been so long between posts.  Merry, merry everyone!