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Christmas Trees, Yesterday and Today

My first memory of Christmas trees was waking up sometime during the night and seeing my mother arrange tinsel on the tree my father had cut down the day before. I must have been at the age of awareness, 4 or 5 years old, and becoming conscious of new and interesting things that were happening around me. I remember watching the entire process, peeking over the coverlet of my bed, as she circled the tree, carefully draping the strands over the crystal ornaments and branches, until the entire tree shimmered and danced in the soft light coming in from the next room.

We didn’t have electricity, so I didn’t know that in other parts of the world people could simply plug a magical string into the wall and produce an array of color and light that could transform a tree into a work of art. Later, in another phase of my life, I would have as many Christmas lights and decorations I pleased, but nothing could quite compare with the magic and wonder of that first Christmas tree.

One element remained constant, though. For most of my early adulthood, while raising my children on an acreage in the Comox Valley, I always managed to have a fresh tree, usually one chosen by my children as we tromped through the forest in the snow. But attitudes about trees changed and we changed with them. Suddenly it seemed sacrilegious to cut down a beautiful tree for our temporary enjoyment and then discard it after it served its purpose.

When I bought an artificial tree in 2000 it was still very popular to have fresh Christmas trees, and I admit it felt like a second rate choice when others were enjoying the fragrance and beauty of a real tree in their homes. But I persevered, and each year I would pull it out of storage and decorate it with the lights and ornaments I collected over the years.

But this year when we set it up it looked a little tired and our lights seemed out of date, especially when compared to the spare, elegant electrified Christmas trees that I see everywhere. But we weren’t ready to part with the old tree which had served us so well, so we purchased some new Led lights, which flash off and on intermittently. The effect is cool and more modern. And the old tree fills the space in our window, enlivening it with a glow that rivals the lights of the harbor beyond. Merry Christmas, it seems to be saying, as I plug in the lights and tip my coffee cup to it each morning.

My apologies to you all though, for not posting a video, which would have captured its beauty more accurately—I’ve taken one but the learning curve was too steep, and I just couldn’t load it  up. But be assured, learning how to post videos is right up there, first and foremost, on my to-do list for 2020!

Merry Christmas to you all—or Seasons Greetings, or Happy Hanukkah, however you express it, as you begin to celebrate this season of magic, lights and wonder.

27 thoughts on “Christmas Trees, Yesterday and Today”

    1. Still the Lucky Few

      The same to you, Maggie! Of course, as I mentioned, a video would have shown the full effect! Maybe I’ll have it down pat in the next month or so!

  1. Thanks for sharing this lovely memory. I had not thought about tinsel in a long time, and your evocative description of your mother’s tree-trimming brought back good memories to me too.

    1. Still the Lucky Few

      Every once in a while, as with all of us I’m sure, a beautiful memory of our parents comes back. My mother’s life was not easy—she was a pioneer woman, but she provided everything she possibly could to make our childhood happy.

  2. Last year we put it up too early. This year we are waiting. In either case it is about delightful anticipatianticipation. Memories of early Christmases are as precious to me as the anticipation of what is on it’s way. Merry Christmas!!

    1. Still the Lucky Few

      As it happens, Alexandra, we put our tree up quite early, and I’m wondering if we have made a mistake! It does wear a little thin after a month! Thanks for your comment.

  3. What wonderful memories, and so nice to hear that your tree now brings you contentment like the memories of your childhood tree. The new electrified ones, for me, do not have the same warmth and lovely glow. Wishing you and Bob a very Merry Christmas.

    1. Still the Lucky Few

      Love your comment! I almost bought an electrified one, after seeing the new ones in our lobbies, but I’m glad we tried something different—all in the interests of recycling, of course!

  4. I remember tinsel on the tree from my youth, too. My earliest tree memory is from when I was around 3 or 4, going with Dad to the local nursery, where the tree of our choice was dug up for us, loaded into Dad’s wheelbarrow and transported home to be placed in a bucket and decorated. After Christmas it was replanted in our garden, and brought back in each Christmas until it became too large. Cue another trip to the nursery! By the time we moved from there we had three thriving trees in the garden.

    1. Still the Lucky Few

      Bringing home a live tree is much more work, but ever so satisfying, Clive! I do remember some people doing that, and I remember how wonderful it was to watch them grow!

      1. That was the real joy for us, watching them grow, and seeing Dad measuring each November in case we needed to order a new tree. There was also the year my little sister insisted that we left the star on top of the tree when it was replanted – we had to get a new star the next year 😊

  5. Happy Festive Activities to you as well… There are a lot of different types of trees now in New Zealand, including places (one in a city suburb with land) to grow the trees that you collect, cut and ready to in your living room. But do remember I’m in the Sth Hemispere it is usually pretty summery, so Christmas often is at the beach with a bbq/picnic with a token tree in the living room so Santa has something to place presents under…
    I’ve only ever had small maybe 3′ ones/artifical but now I don’t do said tree…nor do I truly do Christmas. This year, I’ve been invited to a friends, who will collect me and redeliver me back home…still thinking about that.

    1. Still the Lucky Few

      There are so many ways to celebrate this holiday—given the darkness of the season here, lights are a special (and necessary) part of it. Thanks, Cedar—your comments always make me think!

  6. For over thirty years we would drive up to our land a week or so before Christmas, find a little tree in an area that was overgrown, cut it down, and bring it home to decorate. It helped the forest and made us feel good. After the fire burned down all our trees (except one) we stopped having Christmas trees.

    We still have a lot of pictures and memories, though.

    1. Still the Lucky Few

      I always feel sad when I think of what happened to your land, but I’m always impressed with the way you and Andy have handled it. Have a great Christmas, Jean. Andy too!

  7. your post is lovely. and the comments and memories too.
    my mother was the original Christmas Elf! she dearly loved it. literally everything about it! each new place we moved to … when we were looking at places to live while there… always rental properties… she would always say so cheerfully… ” oh look! we can put the Christmas tree HERE! ” and she would point to where it would be. lol
    I miss her every day. but at Christmas the most!
    and I admire your determination to learn to do videos! can’t wait! good luck!!! XO

    1. Still the Lucky Few

      tammy j, as usual, you have given me food for thought! My mother also was the center of our Christmas experiences. She gave us so many memories! Thanks, and Merry Christmas.

  8. Wow, I can’t imagine a pre-electric Christmas tree. Perhaps that’s what all the tinsel was for? We haven’t got our tree yet, but when it goes up it will sport lights from when my kids were young, 20 and 30 years ago.

  9. My best wishes that you have a grand Christmas.

    Our festival of lights called Deepavali was celebrated in October and as always our home was lit up for the duration. Christian families in India will now decorate their homes and many shops too do to attract Christian customers.

  10. I love our Christmas tree – we have the little flashing led lights too and I have two sets joined together that I wind up around the tree and then drape around the room at window top height. I have them on all day because they make me happy. Simple pleasures are what Christmas is all about – and it’s nice to see that you’re doing the season simply too x

    1. Still the Lucky Few

      I completely agree Leanne! Christmas preparations don’t have to be extravagant or expensive these days. I spent a great deal more during the years when my children were younger. But now, a wreath on the door, a mantle decorations and a tree are all we need!

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