Cheap Plastic Ornaments

I love decorating the house for Christmas.  I hate dragging the decorations out of the tiny attic,  I dislike the mess it creates in the house, I am frustrated by the time it takes out of a busy schedule, but I love the actual decorating. 

The oldest grandson was my helper when it came time to decorate the tree.  The little boys had opted to play outside in the balmy, 70 degree weather.  As we placed the ornaments on the tree the conversation centered on the unusual selection of ornaments I had.  I laughed and agreed that my tree certainly wasn't a "theme" tree with color coordinated and stylish ornaments, rather it was a "memory tree".  Each and every ornament has it's own story.  There is the little glittered block that his dad had made in kindergarten, a clothespin Rudolph from third grade, a crude, green frame with a snaggle-toothed picture of my daughter, aged 7,  and a little stocking with my grandson's name on it that he had made.  There are ornaments given by friends, some who are far away, and ornaments I have made.  Many of our vacations are represented by ornaments I have collected while traveling.  There are ornaments representing family milestones, such as graduations and births, family pets, first cars and hobbies.

As we continued placing ornaments I told him the stories of each of the little decorations.  Then he reached in the box and pulled out a yellow, plastic lantern with a little poinsettia inside.  Obviously cheaply mass produced, he was confused as to why it was nestled carefully in a bed of tissue paper along side a glittered bell with most of the glitter gone.  "Do you want to use these?" he doubtfully asked.  I smiled and said, "Yes indeed!  These go in the best spot on the tree." 

"You see, when we were first married we had very little money.  We were both in school and just paying tuition, rent and utilities took about everything we had.  Our Christmas tree was a cedar cut from the farm where hubby was working part-time.  It smelled wonderful but was painfully prickly.  We went to a local store and bought the cheapest ornaments we could find and some cheap tinsel.  It didn't look too wonderful but the colored lights were cheerful and the little ornaments sparkled in the glow.  We thought it was beautiful."

"We didn't have much but I made cookies and we invited our friends over.  We listened to Christmas carols and enjoyed the season with lots of fellowship.  We didn't give lavish gifts--I made homemade goodies to take to friends.  I don't remember what we gave to each other, but I do remember that it was a wonderful time of love and thankfulness. "

"Now each year these treasured little plastic ornaments come out to be placed lovingly on our tree to remind us of where we started from.  To remember old friends, simpler times, family members that aren't with us any longer,  and a time when we had little but were thankful for much. "

During this season that has become so lavish and filled with activities, festivities, gifts, and abundance, I find my eye drawn to the little, cheap ornaments and remember what is really important in life.  Love, family and friends.

I turned to my grandson.  "To me these are the most beautiful ornaments on the tree. "

He still looked puzzled and more than a bit skeptical.  Someday he will look back on times in his life that hold special meaning and he will remember my ornaments and understand.

Until then at least he tolerates his crazy grandmother.