12/19/09

You'll always be right here beside me...

When my mother and father passed away, I somehow managed to land the many, many ornaments that adorned the trees of our childhood. In fact, I doubt there was any arguing, begging, pleading or bargaining - I just ended up with boxes that surprisingly held the treasures.

When I unwrap each treasure, I find myself wiping away the tears. They are tears of remembrance, tears of joy, tears of love and tears of sorrow. It's a ritual I attend to each year, and one that I feel invites my parents into our Christmas spirit.


These in particular are special to me. They were made by my darling mother.






My good friend, Scope, insisted I share.


Are you happy now?




58 comments:

Sheila said...

I have the same ornaments as you, at least the first and the third. When my mom found time (and patience and energy) to create them after wrangling 6 small children I will never know. However, there were fights and fierce negotations when our family sorted the ornaments.
Thanks for sharing!

Scope said...

Actually, yes, I am happy now. And I know those make you happy, too.

The Christmas spirit.

http://howtobecomeacatladywithoutthecats.blogspot.com said...

Great ornaments... especially as your mom made them!

Anonymous said...

Our tree contains many ornaments made by my grandmother.

And Katie's mom made the angel that sits on top of our tree; the angel wears a dress made out of excess material from her wedding dress. Always brings a few tears.

Mrs. E said...

I usually come here for laughs. Today is tears. So glad you remember them each Christmas.

Unknown said...

I love taking out ornaments...especially from those who have passed...my mother has the ones from my grandmother, I might have to steal them when I am there...lol...

Last night our tree fell over...for the second time. I broke the ornament I made for my daughters frist Christams...I am sad...I might steal that from my mothers house too!!!!

Everyday Goddess said...

Those do look startlingly familiar.

I know you feel better.
xo
Elise

Sandee said...

I can so relate. Christmas was a very special time for my parents and they instilled family during this time of the year. My parents are gone too and I can so relate to all the feelings you are having.

Big hug and have a very Merry Christmas. They are still watching over you. Just saying. :)

Formerly known as Frau said...

What wonderful memories and sad also...I hope seeing them brings back joyous memories of Christmas past.Have a wonderful weekend.

justmakingourway said...

I inherited most of ours as well. I have many that my Mother made and they are very, very special to me. You and Minivan soapbox have inspired me to do a similar post I think...

T said...

For me, there is not greater treasure in my ornaments than those my girls& I have made (in fact, one of the rare bitchy ex-wife moves was me TAKING the kids handmade ornaments. Period.).

SurferWife said...

They are indeed beautiful! Thank you for sharing!!

SkylersDad said...

Good stuff. I wish I had more mementos from my parents.

Mango Girl said...

Wonderful to open those precious treasures every year.

Merry Christmas to you.

Mango

Lori P said...

oh my, your mother was quite talented - they're beautiful. It's amazing how little things like that mean so much, isn't it?

Magpie said...

At least 90% of the ornaments on my tree came from my mother. And that doesn't count the ones that are still at her house and haven't been divvied up...

Joanie said...

I think my sister probably has most of mom's ornaments. It's wonderful that you have so many memories in those ornaments.

Anonymous said...

My grandma has a couple like the first one. A friend of hers made them for her I think a long time ago in the 50s or 60s. I think they are very pretty.

Kim said...

Those are beautiful. I especially like that first one.

plainolebob said...

VM, wow those are nice, and the memory is right there to hold and touch too.
Unfortunately for me, the only ones I have from grand maw, are little pieces of her still, and my aunt Cynthies corncob pipe.
BIG HUGS

cheatymoon said...

Those are lovely. Thank you for sharing. We had similar ornaments in the 70s... xo

Susan Higgins said...

Awwww, what a nice Christmas Spirit story. Thank you! Beautiful decorations too.

Beth said...

This just makes me smile.

Merry Christmas!

Unknown said...

I love them! The creative ones are the best!

I have a vlog today of the ornaments that I and my family have made.

Anonymous said...

they are beautiful as Im sure your mother was....I too got all the ornaments after mum died, I go throught he same emotions as you every year....wonderful memories

peace

♥ Braja said...

Awww, Vodka....sweet....

Straitjackets are Slimming said...

These are beautiful

Boozy Tooth said...

Yep. Happy and so thankful.

Lovely post VM.

Jessica said...

this is my first christmas without my mom (she died on my birthday in october) and i am absolutely treasuring the rudolph ornaments she sent me a few years back.

Mike said...

A whole new meaning to the term, "Family Tree"

Merry Christmas!

The Stiletto Mom said...

Awww friend, I feel the same way when I get my decorations out. sniff...sniff....((hugs))

Fragrant Liar said...

That's so great that you have such special keepsakes. Mama was pretty talented with the ornaments too. I'm glad you have those to take out every year and invite your parents to join you for the holidays.

Warmly,
Kimber

Anonymous said...

My mom made most of our ornaments when we were younger too. Well, not ALL of them, she had my sister and I make some as well. I wish I still had some of them. There were some just like yours. What precious memories you have. A nice reminder of days gone by. They somehow remain etched in our hearts forever.

Mags said...

What a treasure!!!

Anonymous said...

Thanks for sharing with us these heartfelt ornaments from your past. Yes, we are all happy now.

Di
The Blue Ridge Gal

Monkey Mae said...

Beautiful. Thank you for sharing!

Sharon Rose said...

Ah. . .the ties that bind our hearts to those we miss so much. . . it is a lovely post you have shared with us.

Sending you hugs and sharing tears with you. . .

xoxo
Sharon

Merrily Down the Stream said...

So sweet.

flutter said...

this is so darling, sweet lady

Pseudo said...

Thank-you for sharing something so special Vodka.

Meg said...

Those are beautiful. You made me all teary!

Kathleen said...

I think its so awesome you have something made by your mom to enjoy at the holidays!

Unknown said...

I am happy and I am crying. I absolutely adore the story that each ornament on our tree holds....and I love the stories of yours that speak to you. The ritual that you attend to. I love it.

Thinking of you this Christmas season...

Lee

SweetPeaSurry said...

I think my gramma made ornaments like that too!!! The bell, the beaded bell ... I know we have beaded ornaments from her time.

Lovely ... and what a wonderful reminder of a fantastic person!!

Namaste!

WeaselMomma said...

They are beautiful and very special.

Captain Dumbass said...

Happy. Thanks.

Anonymous said...

My grandomther and my mother taught us to make Christmad ornaments, and they are special to me now.

Kate Coveny Hood said...

Those are lovely. I love ornaments that have sentimental value.

Brian Miller said...

how very cool...i know each year as you put them up, memories flood...along with the tears. merry memories!

anymommy said...

Christmas ornaments hold some beautiful memories for me too. So glad you have them.

justsomethoughts... said...

thank you vodkamom
another beauty

(and thank you scope)

gretchen said...

I completely relate! I too am the inheritor of all my parents Christmas ornaments, and I'm SO sentimental about them. I find myself sort of "channeling" my mother while hanging them on the tree. Each has it's own story, and each has a special place on the tree. It's very special.

Hollywood Farm Films said...

Crying my eyes out!! Suddenly wishing I had more than my dollar store ornaments on the tree!! For some reason every year since the Littles have been around they just keep disappearing. This post has inspired me to start to collect meaningful ones. Your mother was very talented.

Hollywood Farm Films said...

Crying my eyes out!! Suddenly wishing I had more than my dollar store ornaments on the tree!! For some reason every year since the Littles have been around they just keep disappearing. This post has inspired me to start to collect meaningful ones. Your mother was very talented.

Meeko Fabulous said...

Thanks for sharing those! Those things are so special, aren't they?

Joanna Jenkins said...

I'm late to the party and catching up from being gone last week. This was a great post sparked so many memories. I'm glad that you have these ornaments :-)

And I wish I could have seen the look on your face when the kid said the reindeer food was for the goats.

And.... the girl with the red sequin slippers-- priceless.

Merry Christmas!
xo

martha miller said...

this season brings up ALL the emotions. how good that you allow yourself the tears. beautiful baubles! thankyou.

Pollyanna said...

Awwwww. Each year, I love unpacking ornaments that have a story/memory. Takes forever to put them up because you have to talk about each one, but it's totally worth it.