Thoughts of Christmas Past and Present by Janet Lane Walters #BWLAuthor #MFRWAuthor #Christmas trees #Ornaments

 

Before the memories, once again, Ashled decorated the porch for Christams. The interesting thing I noticed while driving up street. There are a few more porches with lights and decorations. The following pictures will give you an idea of the porch.

This one shows the partly decorated tree through the window. Only 100 more ornaments to find a space for.

My parents alwasy waited until Christmas Eve to put up the Christmas tree after we were in bed. Then came the year I was old enough to help. Actually, I helped because this was the one Christmas when my father a steelworker wasn't on strike. Just as it began to be dark, my friend and I took his wagon to the VFW who sold trees. To get there, we could go one of two ways. The one was to cross a busy street and down the hill through a tunnel. The other was to cross the railroad tracks and take the less steep street down. Of course we crossed the railroad tracks since no trains were due. I had a dollar to buy a tree. This was 75 years ago, a dollar bought a lot. After buying one of the few trees left, we loaded it on the wagon. The tree hung over front, back and sides. But we managed to get the tree home without losing too many needles. With the help of a neighbor we set the tree on the table . The ceilings in the row house were twelve feet high and the tree nearly touched the ceiling. The table was necessary since my brother was two years old and a busy child. Mother and I started to trim the tree. The lights went on easily and so did the ornaments until I slipped on the ladder and managed to cut a swath of ornaments. Interesting only two broke. I still have one of the glass ornaments on my present tree. That was my best memory of Christmas, knowing I was no longer a child but grownup at the age of ten.

This year my granddaughter and I bought a new artificial tree. I've used one since the year I had both knees replaced and knew I couldn't get down to water the tree. This one is marvelous with both white and colored lights and it changes color constantly. The decorations are quite different. The pictures that follow are of my dragon ornaments.

Below are the standing dragons/

Here are the ones that must be hung.

As you can see, there are many. I think there are fifteen. This year I bought four, Three silver and one dark red guarding a gem.

My Places

https://twitter.com/JanetL717

 https://www.facebook.com/janet.l.walters.3?v=wall&story_f

bid=113639528680724

 http://bookswelove.net/

 http://wwweclecticwriter.blogspot.com

https://www.pinterest.com/shadyl717/

 

Buy Mark

https://bookswelove.net/walters-janet-lane/

Brief History of Christmas Trees by Rosemary Morris

 

To learn more about Rosemary please click on the cover.

Brief History of Christmas Trees

 Whatever their size Christmas trees topped with a star or an angel and bright with baubles, lights, tins and other decorations make my heart glow.

 Prior to bringing a tree indoors, pagans and Christians decorated their homes with holly, ivy and other greenery. During the winter the solstice reminded pagans that spring was near. The Romans brought fir trees into their temple when they celebrated Saturnalia. Christians believed greenery at home and in church represented life everlasting in heaven with God.

 It is said that on a night before Christmas day, the sixteenth century preacher, Martin Luther, walked through a forest. When he looked up through the branches, he saw stars shining brightly and wanted to share the experience with his family, so he brought a tree into his house and decorated it with candles.

  Germany has the credit for the  tradition of bringing Christmas trees indoors and decorating them with delicious gingerbread, gold-painted apples, and little ornaments made by glassmakers.

 However, the claim that Queen Victoria, and Albert, the Prince Consort, a German, were the first to install a Christmas tree in England is false. In the 1760’s Victoria’s ancestress, George III’s German wife, Charlotte, decorated a Christmas tree with her family. A tree was also set up in the Queen’s Lodge in Windsor where she held a party for children of noble families. Soon some rich families also installed decorated trees in their houses; and in 1848, the widespread tradition was created after The Illustrated London News published a drawing of the Christmas Tree at Windsor Castle.

 In 2004, Pope John Paul declared the Christmas tree is a 'symbol of Christ. He said that “this ancient tradition exalts the value of life and reminds Christians of the 'tree of life', which is found in the Bible's first book, Genesis”.

 Whether the trees are real or artificial many 21^st century people still take pride in a beautifully decorated one which fills their hearts with joy.

 

http://bookswelove.net/authors/morris-rosemary

 

rosemarymorris.co.uk