The Story Tree

After I set up a living space of my own, I decided that I wouldn't invest in Christmas ornaments for our first Christmas tree. I thought it might be nice to ask for an ornament for gift-giving occasions and leave our tree adornments to chance. Our first Christmas tree was a pitiful, Charlie Brown-like Norfolk Island pine (plant) in a plastic pot with three ornaments hanging from its branches. But each ornament was special -- each had its own story. Sixteen years later, my tree is full of ornaments and stories. I have ornaments from Africa, Saudi Arabia and Nunuvut -- from dear friends who remembered me on their travels. I have a miniature porcelain teacup and saucer to commemorate girlhood tea parties with my Dad. I have a paper angel with a stubby foot made by my then five-year-old son. And each year, on December 1st (or thereabouts), my son will say, "Tell me the stories, Mom."