Finding Comfort in Old Christmas Ornaments

This is the first year that I have decorated a Christmas tree in the

living room.  For the past couple of years we brought in a big tree

and I managed to get lights on it, but that was all.  When I brought

out the big box full of family ornaments I found the ornaments so 

carefully placed in large zippered bags organized by size and 

color and style.  This was the last task performed by my Mom 

before she passed away.  She was a very meticulous person and

was so careful to save and preserve the family's memories with

ornaments, little cards and notes about the age and history of 

these treasures.

Opening this box and removing the ornaments from each bag 

was like opening a doorway to a past filled with happy Christmas

memories.  Each ornament came to life bringing with it friends

and family treasured moments.  

The date on the back of this Santa Christmas card is December 25,

1916.  The card is 100 years old and hung on my great grandmother's

Christmas tree on her farm in Pennsylvania.  There is a little tear 

across the beard that someone repaired, but otherwise it is in very

good condition.  I never knew my great grandmother, but I know

that her name was Emma Rose Nelson and that she was a very 

petite woman who loved animals and children.  I think that there

were six children in all, two girls and four boys.  She and my

great grandfather lived on what is called a "gentleman's farm"

in a small town not too far from Penn State University.

Apparently my great grandmother was a very cheerful person

with a good sense of humor that she passed down to her children.

I am sure this is true because her daughter, my grandmother had

a very good sense of humor and I loved listening to all of her

amusing stories and jokes.  Now that I think about it, great

grandmother needed to have a good sense of humor with six

children and four of them boys!

The little angel has been on the Christmas tree for as long as I

can remember.  There are three of them.   The little banjo was 

one of Mom's favorite ornaments.  She always liked a lot of

variety on her tree and would always find a few new and special

ornament to add to her collection each year.

Being a horsewoman, this little circus pony is a favorite of mine.  There

are two of them and I think they are precious.

I am glad that I finally I decided to open that big box filled with family 

Christmas ornaments.  I thought it might make me feel sad, but if fact

it was comforting and fun to bring all those memories back to life.

Big Texas Hugs,

Susan and Bentley