Instead of braving the malls at an ungodly hour I decided instead to brave the decorations that Callie picked out this year for her Christmas tree. We actually have two trees in our house; one is in the play room in our basement (which is Callie's tree) and the other is in our upstairs living room in the front window. This year I told Callie that she could do the honors and pick out new decorations for her tree. I just couldn't bear to use the old ones for one more year. They were a culmination of things that I had acquired over the years that really had no sentimental value, and I honestly don't know what I was thinking when I bought them because they were downright UGLY! So those old things will be retired, and in their place will be ornaments chosen by a happy 4 year old that couldn't be more proud of her design. I have to say that we did most of the shopping at the Dollar Store, and the lights came from Wal-Mart because she asked for purple, and those are a little tough to come by. I had a ball watching her toss things in the cart and change her mind a thousand times. She took her job quite seriously, and today, as we got everything out of the bags and sorted it on the floor, she has so excited. She was holding each ornament up and asking which was my favorite. It was a tough call considering that I was choosing between giant pink butterflys, gigantic silver snowflakes, and a wide array of bulbs in every color and size. My favorite part of the entire day was watching her face as she carefully placed each ornament on the tree. She would step back and make sure she liked the spot, and quite often she would remove it from the branch and try another spot until she was satisfied.
So I am sure you are ready for the debut of Callie's first Christmas tree designed and decorated all by our little Christmas angel.
Of course she had to jump in and pose a bit too, so here are a few more shots.
Another really cool part of the day was sharing a memory with Callie that I had when I was a little girl. My Dad had a train that he had gotten as a Christmas present when he was 12 years old. Every year we would get it out and put it around our tree. It was always a project because it was so old, and it never ran quite right. The track had to be sanded, and the transformer would hum and spark with electricity. I loved it though, and once it was running my Dad and I would sit by the tree and watch for hours. When my dad passed away the train became mine, and today Callie and I spent several hours making sure that it would be a part of our Christmas memories together. It took a lot of work to get it to run, but it was just as I remembered. I know it's a little boring, but here is a picture of our train. It is 52 years old this Christmas.
8 comments:
Wow does that train bring back memories for me! I vaguely remember us having one when I was little but somewhere along the way it disappeared. I've been wanting to get an old fashioned train for around my tree for years but I've never got around to it. We've got a model train shop here in Zelie but I have yet to make it in there. Seeing yours makes me want to get in there and get one.
That is SO awesome that Callie has her own tree. What an awesome memory that will for her!
How amazing. ALL of it. The tree is gorgeous. very girlie :)
Callie has quite a knack for this whole tree decorating thing. I'm impressed that all a dollar could make such a beautiful tree.
The train, 52 years old and it STILL runs huh ?
How great that you can pass these memories down.
Callie is a doll.....give her big hugs and kisses from us all.
Love that she has her own tree to decorate. But what I love even more in the train. It is not boring at all but a VERY cool thing. I have been in search for a train for our tree this year since all 3 of our kids are into trains. I so wanted something old and nostalgic like what you have but settled for a basic holiday one for now. Once they are bit older I will continue my search. I wouldn't mind the work of getting it to run once I see the end result of the pure joy on the kids' faces.
Is that Butterscotch in the photo's as well?
Yep, Butterscotch it is!! My Mother is out of control and just had to put it under the tree last year. It makes me nervous wondering how she might top that gift, but knowing my Mother, she will find a way. Trust me, we struggle with how to raise an APPRECIATIVE child around here, but I think she already knows that if she doesn't have manners and truly mean it when she says PLEASE and THANK YOU that she will end the Christmas season and life in general with coal and nothing more! The horse is cool though....seems possessed a bit, but cool nonetheless!
Awww what a great tree.
AWESOME TREE!
My kinda girl - shopping at the dollar store.
This will be an amazing memory for her.
The train made me cry. We used to have one, too, but I don't even know what happened to it after my parents died.
Our Pete is obsessed with Butterscotch. Every time she sees it we have to stop to let her feed and pet her. Does it do much more than the demo? I often thought who would purchase it and now I understand. Grandparents are the target market:)
Yep...Butterscotch is all about the Grandparents!!! It does do a little more than the demo. When M and I were putting it together we thought it was possessed because it will turn its head and look at you when you say its name! Freaky right?
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