A Designer’s Christmas Tree
I suspect that people are curious as to what the designer’s personal Christmas tree looks like. As I go into your homes and work with you and your Christmas treasures (new & old) I’m reminded that we are all the same. A Christmas tree represents so much. The obvious of course is that evergreen is a symbol of everlasting life/Christ. This evergreen tree brings back a flood of memories from childhood to the present. For me, growing up we had a real tree until the mid 70’s then we had an artificial tree. Tinsel was always on the tree (until we got a cat😬) and all our special ornaments. I looked forward to seeing those special items every year.
After I got married David and I used my Mom’s artificial tree our 1st Christmas. David was not on board. He kept reminding me that it did not smell like Christmas, so that started the tradition of a real tree every year.
Early on I didn’t know what I was doing 😂. But that didn’t stop me from trying. I would do theme type trees accenting certain colors and of course coordinating the wrapping paper to match the tree design. I love wrapping! Then I graduated to having a more “fancy” tree when I fell in love with Christopher Radko ornaments. I would add ornaments that had meaning and my friends and family contributed to my love for all things shiny & bright!
When Maggie came along, thinking back, I think my house must have looked like someone threw up Christmas everywhere!😂 it was fun and bright everywhere! People would say “You’re going to get tired of this one day”. I couldn’t believe that. But it was so. I’m not sure if I was tired of it or if life just had other priorities for me, but I was okay with scaling things back.
Maggie was 3 and learning to play her guitar like her daddy.
Finally one year it snowed at Christmas 😃. Here in the south snow at Christmas is the dream and that year the dream came true. I believe it was my favorite Christmas. I was forced to stop, slow down and just be still. The blanket of white leaves this calm-stillness that is just perfectly beautiful! So after that I really started to be okay with not having everything perfect and you know what-Christmas still came and the world didn’t end!
The last several years have been different. I’ve been in a different place. I make everyone else’s homes beautiful and festive then come home to do the most simple decor for myself. I love it. I love that I allow myself to NOT do everything. What a freeing feeling. I paired down to just 1 big tree - my “fancy” tree. As I said we always get a real tree and I have specific requirements. I like tall, skinny, gappy trees. This allows my beautiful ornaments to have stout branches to hang on. Over the years my hubby would give a budget for the tree and when the trees cost more than the budget we looked at the back row bargains and would find some real gems like the “wall hugger” (the back side completely gone), the “top less” (the top got broken off), and the “tabletop” tree (usually a tree that got really damaged and all that was left was the top). Somehow all of these trees look beautiful after they have lights and snow (I flock my trees every year with spray snow-it’s a must!).
The last several years I have only put one ornament on my tree. It was enough, and all I wanted. This year somehow I was ready to do more. I am so thankful to all of my clients that have allowed me into their homes to make things festive and I guess seeing that made me want it for me and Maggie. So this year our tree has ornaments. I really forgot how beautiful they are! My tree is not crazy themed, just filled with love and memories!
Blessings,
