OH Trashy Christmas Tree...and I love IT!

Christmas time is my favorite time of year. Last Sunday I began dragging the Yuletide decor out of storage and at this point we are just about done. Yeah, I know....it takes us about a week to get it all done up right.

Since we are finished decorating. I started looking at our Christmas tree last night. In our Plano area, it is vogue to have all tree decorations match and to have a common theme. If your really gung ho, you spend the money to change the tree decor/theme every year. We are not those people on either account. In fact the Elliott family tree decor is about as eclectic and diverse as you possible can get.

You see, when Bren and I got married...we had love baby...but not much money, honey. Therefore the Christmas decorations were either found on really really cheap sales or just plan cheap to begin with. So the $15 dollar Angel that topped the Elliott's first Christmas tree is still the same one that tops it now. We have the money to change it....but I don't want to. It's got 13 years of memories in it now. And that is pretty much the same statement that can be said for every ornament on the tree.

Yeah, yeah...some of them border on the trashy side....but I like'em.

Like the Marlyn Monroe ornament in her famous "oh my skirt is flying up - Seven Year Itch" pose. It was given as joke, to me, from Bren's brother. Who doesn't want Marylin under, or in my case, on your tree. The other ornaments might not be quite so provocative, but just as cool. Like the Redstone Mercury Rocket that actually counts down then lights up on lift off. I got it when I was a flight design engineer at NASA. Or how about the 3 Disney ornaments that we got when we went to DisneyWorld. I'm a huge Elvis fan, so we have 2 Elvis ornaments...one that actually sings "Blue Christmas." The list goes on....3 Superman ornaments, Santa Clause by the Campfire... We have ornaments that represent our interest, points in our life, and last but certainly not least, our Christian Faith.

Now the kids are into it,. insuring that their Christmas tree ornaments adorn the tree. My wife, every year, attempts to purchase an ornament that is indicative of that child in that year. For example, Luke has 2 Toy Story ornaments featuring Buzz Lightyear and Cowboy Woody. When he was 3 and 4, not much could compete with that Disney film. Last year, Macy received a ballerina ornament representing her first year to take dance. Hope had a Waterford Crystal Baby carriage representing her first Christmas. (I didn't say all of them are cheap!) This list also goes on and on. We also have the ornaments that the kids made in school...they all go on the tree...even the less attractive ones.

I know of one individual who makes her children hang the ornaments they made on the back of the tree so they can not be seen. What's the purpose. The whole reason I want them on the tree is to remind myself of the wonderful memories of our family. Our Tree is a window pane into the Elliott's hearts, a portrait of our lives.

Luke is now 7 and Macy now 5. And although this "Tough" Marine sometimes doesn't want to admit it, I soften up at the thought that they won't be around forever. Yesterday I was rocking Luke to sleep. Today, he will want to go play catch. Yesterday, Macy and I made a gingerbread house together. It's a tradition for just she and I. She won't always want me to make make sure the icing is on just right. And Hope, well, she acts just like her daddy...and always makes me laugh. She too, one day, will move on. This is not a bad thing, just normal. So for now, I want my Christmas tree to look like the hodge podge of decor that it actually is....