She’s been the topper on the family Christmas tree for the past thirty-one Christmases and this year she will miss her first Christmas with our family. After last year, this little Styrofoam Christmas angel retired from our Christmas tree as her fragile condition had been getting worse through the years. She is now another nostalgic artifact from my youth, albeit a special one.
She started simply as a second grade Christmas craft project and was constructed using part of an egg carton, one Styrofoam ball, some yellow “angel” hair, a pipe cleaner and a generous amount of gold glitter. Each kid in class created their very own Christmas angel and after I made this one, I was anxious to get home and plant my Styrofoam angel on our Christmas tree. It was truly a miracle from God that she survived the rest of the school day and a rowdy bus ride home.
I probably had a grin the size of the Grand Canyon once she was placed on top of the Christmas tree.
For the next thirty-one years she watched our family celebrate Christmas. Her first Christmas as a tree topper, she saw me open one of my favorite toys, the ever loveable Stretch Monster. Year after year, she watched each Christmas from up high. She viewed my brother and I open countless gifts of Star Wars toys, Atari cartridges, sweater vests and VHS movies. She laughed at our crazy conversations and heated discussions around the Christmas tree. She enjoyed the company of Bluebell, our family dog who liked sleeping under the tree. She joyfully welcomed new family members and sadly said goodbye to others. She even didn't mind sharing the same room with a famous movie prop.
For me and my family she represents wonderful memories from Christmas past and even though she’s now sitting on a shelf instead on top of a Christmas tree, she will continue to remind me of family fun and family togetherness, which is one of the many and most important parts of Christmas.
Merry Christmas everyone! Luke 2:8-14
What a sweet and sad story. My own parents bought a beautiful tree topper star in 1969 and put a strip of Dyno-marker-tape stuff up the side that reads "Dania's first Christmas 1969." Over the years, it's turned into a lovely, but increasingly fragile midcentury keepsake. As I no longer use it, but keep it packed away safe, it's a reminder of time passing.
ReplyDeleteAt least you haven't resigned your angel to a box and some tissue paper to keep her safe. :)
That is such a nice story! I have an ornament I made in the 70s that is always on our tree (it is hot pink and beaded). But alas, because we have cats, the glass ornaments my mom ad I bought at Woolworth's in the 60s (and I remember how thrilled I was!) must stay safe in storage. I peek at them in the old boxes though. One box of 9 cost just over $1 (and they are fancy, with stripes and glitter etc, not just the plain shiny kind).
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas! Hope you had a brilliant day.
All things must pass, but enjoy the memories. Merry Christmas, and thanks for sharing your story!
ReplyDeleteSuch a wonderful post.
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