Monday 19 December 2011

Kamikaze Christmas Tree

I don't know about you but my Christmas decorations carry so many memories of my life and I love opening up the bags and boxes each year and remembering where I got them and why.
Now to be really honest, if I used more than 50% of my decs on the tree you would not be able to see a single branch, yet every year I buy one little something to put on there.  However this year I was not going to buy a tree as I still have not found a permanent job and I was going into mega economy mode.  So you can only imagine how thrilled I was when a friend asked me to stay in on Friday morning and arrived with a Christmas Tree in the back of her Mini.  However what she did not tell me was that the tree was suicidal, it leapt off the table twice before I realised that it did not have a root ball... Deborah came round with another stand... we set to work with secateurs and a bread knife... who needs a man, eh?  


I got it decorated again and it made another break for it, so I jammed it in with my embroidery thread tin... I am a resourceful woman... it is now held in there with a brick but I have had words with the tree and it knows that if it makes another break for it, it becomes another part of the Christmas tradition - The Yule Log!
I was going to make do with my little tree which I bought back in the 1980s when I had my flat in London... I still have all the decorations and even the angel with the bendy wings.  When I started to buy real trees, I used to bring this tree to work and share out the choc decorations after Christmas... except for the year of the IBM mice.  I got a phone call from the office to tell me that whilst we had been off over the hols, mice had hit the Exec Office at IBM and had climbed up the tree to nibble into the chocs... and no, they were the four legged rather than two legged variety!
This little group are rather special, the tree on the left came from an Italian cookery holiday in Limone on the Lakes and the tree on the left was a prezzie from sister when she took my aunt to Venice.  And I made the fairy in the middle the Christmas my mum was diagnosed with terminal cancer, it is thanks to her that I knit and sew... not a bad legacy to inherit.
I always smile when I see these Russian Matryoshka dolls which were brought back from a Moscow market when my friend Lisa was helping to set up the KPMG offices in Moscow... not only did she do that but she also organised her wedding from there.  It was one of the best celebrations I have ever been to, best of all was her present to her husband Liam - it was a tandem - he always complained that he had to wait for her when they went cycling together... she thought this was the most elegant solution :)
These are my oldest decs, they are older than me and when I was little they meant that Christmas was really coming.
Now if you look down at the bottom of the fireplace, you might recognise my Christmas Salt Dough Sheep, which I made 15 years ago... who says salt dough doesn't last?
Finally, no crafter's tree is complete without the tools of her trade and here is a cotton reel angel, my needles and wool and sitting in the background is another ancient salt dough parcel.

Now off you go to look at Wendy's Handmade Monday and see what everyone else has been up to in the week before Christmas.

18 comments:

Sarah - The Lilac Dragonfly said...

Ros your collection is beautiful!! And I love the stories behind them all....Have a wonderful Christmas!!
S x

Helen said...

I love your collection and the stories behind them. Happy christmas x

Christmas Pie Crafts said...

Lovely decorations Ros - like you I have Christmas decs form many, many years ago and part of the joy of Christmas is unwrapping them and remembering the numerous stories related to them. have some very old-fashioned glass balls that have various chunks missing, but I cannot part with them they mean too much. I hope you have a very happy Christmas.

Jam Dalory said...

What beautiful decorations and the stories behind them are lovely. Merry Christmas. x

CarolC1 said...

What a lovely Christmas posting, I enjoyed reading it. I know what you mean about tree decorations, they become family heirlooms don't they. My daughter buys two new ones every year with her childrens names on them, they have 12 now and growing. lol.

Carolee Crafts said...

I don;t know these trees and decorations are alive with elves. Looks good now it is up and what a good friend.

Have a very Happy Christmas

Ali said...

What a wonderful collection and such great memories associated with each.

How lovely of your friend to bring a tree for you (even if it has a death-wish!)

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas.

Ali x

Mrs A. said...

Thanks for your trip down memory lane. We have the same for our(fake) tree. Decorations from when I was a child, MIL's baubles, Knitted decs I made our children. Nothing matches but it is a delight to dress each each year. Have a lovely Christmas and see you again in the New Year. Hugs Mrs A.

lovetartan said...

Love all the stories behind your decorations. Hope the Christmas tree has learned its lesson and stays put! Have a wonderful Christmas and New year Ros - Mich x

Wendy said...

What a lovely post. Love all your pics.

Your mice story reminded me of a time when we were kids, and my mum got really annoyed because the chocolate decs off the tree kept being eaten. She said "whoever's doing it is really stupid cos you're leaving the foil behind".

It turned out it wasn't one of us kids - it was the dog!!! She caught him mid-chomp one day!

En4tainment said...

Lovely decorations and a great post to.
Happy Christmas

Jan said...

A great post Ros, I agree that salt dough does last if it's kept correctly. I love the stories behind each of the decorations.
I think that the best part of this post is your lovely friend turning up with a tree for you, all be it a suicidal one :)

Wishing you a wonderful Christmas and a brilliant 2012

Jan x

Zoe said...

What a wonderful friend you have, to bring you a tree, that's so lovely :) I am in love with your Christmas Matryoshkas!! I had some traditional ones when I was small but they got lost somewhere along the way. Last year I bought my daughter a set for Christmas and she loves them.
Happy Christmas!

Caroline Lovis (Redneedle) said...

So many lovely treasures and each has a story to tell. Happy Christmas Ros x

Annie and Lyn said...

The cotton reel angel is lovely! Happy Christmas and good luck with the permanent-job hunt in 2012.

Pickle Lily said...

What a lovely collection of both memories and decorations. Have a fabulous Christmas.
Jo x

bebebubu said...

You have so many decorations! Have lots of fun decorating . Merry Christmas!

Craft and Activities for All Ages said...

Enjoyed browsing through your Christmas trinket collection Ros - and reading the memories they evoke for you. Wishing you a very Merry Christmas! Nancy