Last night we put up our Christmas tree. It’s always a joyous time for us to gather together as a family to enjoy fun and fellowship.
I always think our tree is the prettiest one we’ve ever had. I just love decorating for Christmas.
The grandsons are much too young to understand what’s going on, but it sure was a blessing to have them with us.
For almost 10 years we’ve used antlers as the tree topper. It was The Deer Hunter’s idea and I can’t imagine our tree without them now.
One of the first Christmases we lived in our house The Deer Hunter took an old spark plug and threaded some red wire through the top. He hung it on the tree thinking I’d never even notice it was there and then he could tell me he’d pulled a good prank on me. I noticed it right away and told him I planned to keep it and use it every Christmas so the surprise was really on him.
For whatever reason, The Deer Hunter making the spark plug ornament is one of my favorite Christmas memories and all these years later I’m still putting it on the Christmas tree.
Last night’s video: Picking Out The Prettiest Christmas Tree We Ever Had!
Tipper
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I’ve always loved Christmas and decorating the house and porch and mailbox. For many years we had a big, live Christmas tree until we adopted our little baby in 1992. She was beginning to crawl on the floor and I didn’t want her to get stuck by a pine needle so we changed to a big, beautiful, floor to ceiling artificial green Christmas tree. It served the purpose for many years but now that years have gone on it got too heavy for my husband to cart it out of storage so we got a 4 feet tall flocked Christmas tree which does not give me that same feeling that I used to get when we would decorate the other trees and turn off the living room lights and admire how beautiful it was. I’ve learned to compensate for not having a big green Christmas tree so I try to have at least 3 or 4 small Christmas trees all through the house. I decorate them all and it still gives me a thrill when we light them up and turn off the other lights in the room and just admire the beautiful Christmas trees all lit up and giving me and my family more smiles and enjoyment in seeing our Christmas trees all dressed up in ornaments from all the years we’ve celebrated the birth of Christ every year. I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas.
I love the spark plug story and I really enjoy reading everyones comments of their tree decorating memories.
My wife’s sister’s husband and I had a running joke or three that we played around Christmas.
He sent me a pair of pink plastic flamingos and dared me to put them in my yard. Of course I hung seasonal scarves and ribbions on them and displayed them proudly on the lawn every year thereafter.
Another one was around a gift from a sister-in-law. The gift was one of those wooden ball massage gizmos. Although we could tell what it was because it was wrapped in paper, neither of us ever opened it. The joke was always in creating a new way to deliver it. If delivery was embarrassing, all the better. I can remember getting a cop friend of mine to deliver it, in uniform. I even had a Santa deliver it, and a stripper. He had it delivered by a uniformed limo driver and others, but the best one was when he had it delivered to a company Christmas gathering. He got a co-worker of mine to enlist the rest of my staff inoto the joke by setting it up, ostensibly, as a gift from the staff. The joke went on for close to 20 years and was carried out in NC, FL, and TX.
He passed away more than 5 years ago. We still put out flamingos.
Robert— I really enjoyed the funny accounts of your Christmas jokes. My late son-in-law used to give me a joke gift every Christmas. Each year he would tease me by telling me he found the “perfect” gift this year and just wait till I saw it. I would tell him I was afraid of what it was. He had so much fun teasing me this way and I loved him all the more for it. Some of his gifts were a gold lion ornament wearing purple shoes, a pair of pink monster-feet slippers, a snowman that told funny bathroom jokes when you walked by him sitting on the back of the toilet, a reindeer that pooped M&M’s, and a Santa dressed in a jogging suit and singing a rap song. These gifts are especially precious now that he has went home to heaven almost 3 years ago. I want to make sure my grandchildren remember that among other things, their daddy had a great sense of humor!
I love stories about things such as the spark plug. Those are the best memories for two reasons. It shows how much he loves to tease and flirt with you and you love that he was thinking of you when he made it.
Precious Memories…How they linger
What an awesome memory to have that old spark plug on your tree every year. It’s definitely these kind of memories that make life worth living!!!!! You definitely snagged yourself a good man when you snagged Matt!!!!!
I, too, love the spark plug! It makes me think of our tree which is a collection of ornaments made by our children when they were young, ones we bought from our past travels, ones given to us by friends & family far & near and also some from the childhood trees of my husband and me. I call it a Memory Tree. It’s a trip down memory lane when we put up our tree and decorate the house. PRICELESS!!
We love to decorate our tree, drink hot chocolate or coffee ☕️. Have something good on TV to watch while doing it. My grandson loves to help. We have so much fun.
One of my favorite childhood books, was “Mr. Willouby’s Christmas Tree “. In it the tree is too tall in Mr. Willouby’s house, so he tops it, his house servant takes the top, it’s too tall for their meager house, they top it, animals carry that top home, have to top it, mice find it, and so on. The one tree was the best one ever for everyone. I kept thinking maybe your small tree was a top. . Thinking of Yall and Granny!!
Love the spark plug memory! We have many memorable ornaments. Our first Christmas as a married couple, our son’s first Christmas. Ornaments made in preschool etc.
This year will make 60 Christmas’s together for us. We still have and use some of those decorations from the first year. Several tears ago we had to change to artificial trees due to allergies . (wife and daughter) As a kid one of my sister’s would put up a tree on Thanksgiving Day. With the fireplace or a wood heater to heat the entire house the tree would dry out quickly. She would replace it 3-4 times before Christmas and be forced to stop after Christmas. She wanted to leave it up until after New Year’s
I know what you mean, every year seems to be ‘the prettiest tree ever’.
I also have a Manger (from Christmas Around the World, back in the 1980’s) that I bring out most years. This year I only set out Joseph, Mary, baby Jesus, the Angel, and the donkey. And, instead of using the wood-like stable I stood deer antlers on their points to fit over and around the figurines.
Always enjoy seeing your tree!! Love the antlers and spark plug. Sweet memories!!
My wife and I have been married for 52 years. On our first Christmas, we had little money, but managed to buy two boxes of glass ornaments and some tinsel. I cut a cedar tree in the woods near our home. The tree was beautiful. A few of those fragile glass ornaments have survived all the years since and they hold precious memories.
So beautiful!!!
You just sparked my day after a hard month. Thank you.
I have so many ornaments, putting up the tree is an all-day job. I have 2 ornaments from Mama’s childhood tree, and quite a few from my own childhood trees. Everything on my tree means something.
When I drove through Lowe’s parking lot yesterday, I couldn’t believe the price of fresh-cut Christmas trees. At $179, it sure makes a cedar tree look good. My grandkids used to ask me for money so they could shop at Santa’s workshop at school. They secretly bought me ornaments that have become priceless. Each year I hang them on my tree, I look at their name and the date I printed on them and get emotional knowing my little boys are all grown up now. I hope Granny is still crocheting her beautiful Christmas ornaments.
Shirl, I don’t remember now if it was one of my children or my grandson. We gave them some money when they were in kindergarten or first grade for the school’s Santa’s workshop. They spent it all on buying things for their own self! We have laughed and enjoyed this more than if they had actually bought something for us. Now they are all grown and our daughter is in Heaven along with her mother and other family members.
What a beautiful tree! I love the antler tree topper. Most would have overlooked that tree since the top was broken but you saw past it. The spark plug ornament is awesome. Best of all, the story of creating memories w/the family & now the grands. Merry Christmas! Continuing Prayers for Granny & y’all.
I see all these beautifully-decorated trees with the themes and color-coordination going on and, yes they are very pretty and I enjoy seeing them, however I tend to lean toward the (apparently it has a name) “Tacky Christmas Tree” trend — and I am perfectly OK with it! I want my tree to be personal to me and my family and hold a lifetime of memories and meaningfulness. I think that’s what makes a perfect tree, not the color-coordinating glass and satin balls, baubles, and ribbon. Our tree is adorned with decorations the kids have made over the years — they’re the ones I treasure the most. Little hand prints on paper made into reindeer, little fingers dipped in white paint and placed on a small silver ball to make five little snowmen, pictures taken of one of the children while in kindergarten, cut out to shape with brown construction paper antlers glued atop their head and laminated for safe-keeping and a fuzzy red ball glued on for a nose, thumbprints in red and white to make a candy cane, pieces of a large limb trimmed down into wedges and wood-burned with their names from the years in Cub Scouts, plenty of wildly-painted little plaster mold Santa’s, holiday item shaped dough ornaments, and too many popsicle stick and card stock colored ornaments to count. Add to that ornaments from the childhood of us adults and many from both of my grandmother’s trees — plastic pears, satiny doves and cardinals, little felt elves, some crocheted stars and angels, pink-colored houses made of popcorn from the 70s that’s somehow still in good shape…and some important commemorative ornaments from places we’ve been, seen, or to remember a loved one…and of course the little ceramic “baby’s first Christmas” ornaments I take extra care to keep safe that celebrate the two little ones (now a teen and a tween) in the house. That’s the stuff that makes our tree special! I love the spark plug. I remember reading about it last year here on the blog and chuckled then — but how special that is to have still! Society outside of Appalachia may call the style I prefer “Tacky Christmas Tree” — I call it a “Real Loving Family Tree.”
Such a sweet memory ornament in that spark plug. Lovely ‘memory’ tree! Tipper – I am wondering about the two pictures beside the tree. It looks like Katie & Corie with another little face (?) in the middle; then the scenery one – what is the story on that?
Tupper, this year’s Christmas tree sure looks beautiful! Love the tale of the spark plug. Thanks for sharing it. Enjoyed the vid of y’all going out to get trees for you & Corie. And that little tree for your kitchen buffet is so cute! Looking forward to seeing how it looks all decorated up. Oh, and how’d it go with the baby gate set up?
Such fun family traditions.
When our boys were little we had a house fire that destroyed the attic and the ornaments they had made the first years. I was able to salvage two that were blackened. Each year I still get them and now grandsons an ornament for their tree. As a child I always cut a red cedar and have almost every year. One year my husband and I went to visit family for a few days and when we returned there were hundreds of baby praying mantis in our picture window. There must have been mantis eggs in the tree. Another year we found a tiny bird nest. I love the spark plug idea. Thanks for exciting memories.
Our Christmas trees were all cedars cut in the surrounding countryside. I remember looking for well-shaped trees while out hunting. At this moment I am looking at a tabletop tree, undoubtedly made in China, that looks pretty good all decorated with ornaments old and new and lots of small, multicolored lights. My favorite ornaments are a little guitar, mandolin and fiddle in natural wood. I figure that elves could play them if they find them.
I cherish my Christmas ornaments made by my husband, my two sons and my three grandchildren. Today I am drying orange slices and stringing cranberries for a feather Christmas tree for a historic home built in 1850 that belongs to our local historical society.
I haven’t seen the video yet but what wonderful memories with each Christmas ornament. That’s why I love putting up the Christmas tree. Like yours each one of my ornaments has a special memory with it. There are some that don’t but most mine like yours do.
After you two “sparkin” and getting married I reckon a spark plug is a fitting memento. It’s a wonder Matt didn’t get the nickname ‘Sparky’ from that prank. I do tricks like that to my wife sometimes then wait and see when or if she will notice. If it takes very long I forget myself. Been quite some years since we had a real tree. They are best.
You know I always thought I’d want and have a perfect magazine tree with all the matching ornaments. Our tree is now a glorious mix of our littles ones homemade ornaments and a few handmade bookish ones I’ve bought, with our dollar store star on top, and I couldn’t love it more. Almost all our decorations are ceramics made by either my grandma or husband’s granny ages ago, with just a couple little things I’ve picked up that will blend with them. It makes me so happy to look around and see family in all our pieces. It makes me glad I couldn’t afford to buy decor before I had the proper appreciation for handmedowns and granny-made heirlooms. We were able this year to replace our falling apart handmedown tree with a newer bigger one that I’m sure we’ll have for decades and I was able to invest in needlepoint stockings for each kid that hopefully they’ll still have when they’re grown and gone. And they love the great grandma made decor too. Looking forward to your Christmas decorating videos!
The deer antlers are definitely unique and wonderful but the spark plug is the BEST! Let’s just say maybe it’s the spark plug that’s kept your marriage “firing on all cylinders” through these years! I think it’s fabulous! I’d definitely say your tree is beautiful and country themed which is ALWAYS in style and good taste!!! Blessings to you all and especially granny and the good folks in a tent or open air in NC and TN who can’t get help from a useless bunch in DC who should really have to go live in the situation they refuse to assist!! That’s fair yo have them bold and hungry and hopeless in wintertime… They ought to be ashamed but they lack the ability to even blush… God sees all and He will deal with BABYLON.
Though they may not understand what’s going on, I imagine Woody and Ira’s little eyes will be busy looking at all the lights and decorations. Merry Christmas!
It rained and the wind blew hard all night long. We awoke to a beautiful sight of snow covered trees and a couple more inches on the ground. It is white and frosty every where you look. Almost all counties in wv have schools closed or delayed. The temperature is 19, but it feels like 2 because the winds are still gusting. Our Christmas tree will never be fancy with new shiny, matching bulbs. It is covered with ornaments made by our children and grandchildren and some given to us as gifts over the years…each with a special memory attached. The oldest one is a tiny elf with a red wire that has been attached to our tree every Christmas of our life together. It was attached to a gift my husband gave me when I was 17 years old… a pre-engagement ring that I have to this day. It’s my most precious ornament.
We put our tree up on Monday and put the lights on it but waited until our grandson was with us on Tuesday to decorate it. He’s six now, so I’m trying to tell him the stories of some of our heirloom ornaments. I have two that were made by my great-grandmother, his 3x great-grandmother. Not sure how much he really understands now, but hopefully he will one day.
After reading about the Deer Hunter’s spark plug ornament in the past, I made some for some friends that enjoy “messing with their cars.” I have also made some ornaments for some fishing friends by stacking 3 different size red and white “snap on” plastic bobbers together and using a “snap on” swivel to hang them to the tree. I did this before my wife died back when Christmas was enjoyable for me. She loved to put some decorations in our yard and decorate our tree “often an old time red cedar tree” cut out of a field on our property. I give gifts to my boys (son and two grandsons) but my heart is no longer in it. I tell them I want nothing from them except the opportunity to spend time with them.
You have wonderful memories to look back on!❤️
We were near destitute when we first married 40 years ago (LOL). We cut a tree, built a stand, and decorated it with a few ornaments from the dollar store and popcorn we had popped and strung in green and red food coloring. We have used the same popcorn on our tree every Christmas since. The corn garlands always bring good memories.
I know where you are coming from, my wife and I started our married life out together living in a single wide mobile home with 10 dollars in our joint bank account. She worked a minimum wage job ($1.65 an hour) and I worked 55 hours a week and brought home around $135.00 after taxes. Often times there seemed to be more week than pay check. If she had lived, we would have celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary this year.
I love the spark plug! It is so special to have little ornaments that tell a story. I bet the house smells so good now.
Your tree is so pretty & packed full of memories (like the spark plug & deer antlers). I’m sure the grandbabies are enjoying all the colors & glistening of the ornaments. Merry Christmas to you all & many, many prayers for Granny that she will enjoy the season without many pains.
I love your tree topper and unique ornament! That’s what makes it so special! All of our ornaments have special meaning too. Thank you for sharing your beautiful tree.
The winds here are gusting at 65 mph and the windchill is 8 below zero.
My mind can’t help but be on those in TN and NC. May God keep them safe and warm during this time. I pray for supernatural experiences for each of those hurting and may they share those miracles with others to bring glory to God.
Praying Granny has a blessed Christmas season!
Debbie, the Lake Lure, Bat Cave, Chimney Rock area of NC has always been special to me and my wife. We spent about half a day there walking around and looking for our honeymoon-read my comment to Jeffery. Last night I read that the two areas are still putting up Christmas lights and trying to celebrate their Christmas traditions, they still have their spirit but not much else. My heart breaks for them and the others that are suffering so much from Helene.
Your comments resonate; we spent our honeymoon at my grandparents’ house in Flat Rock NC while they visited with my parents in Florida after our wedding. We spent a fun day poking around Chimney Rock, always a must do on family vacations. We discovered shop owners whose son went to our college; they gave us a woven rug which saw much use and now lives in the garage. Like nearly everyone else we know, we were on a shoestring budget. Came back from our honeymoon to discover husband had been laid off so we squeezed by on my PT job till husband could get another. My heart goes out to those folks still struggling to recover from the floods; I’ve probably driven on every road in that area pictured in the news. Still recovering here in Florida too. Many small businesses still shut, still debris piles waiting for pickup, homes being repaired or in worst cases torn down.
Randy, thank you for sharing this! I love that you share your memories with us. I found out while searching my ancestors they lived in Wilkes Co. NC. I knew I felt a connection with all y’all. They eventually landed in Eastern KY and have been there a very long time.
I love the spark plug!
I have a hard time deciding which ornament is my favorite. Most of the ornaments have been given as gifts over the years, or our kids or grandkids made them and some were bought from different vacations we took through the years. So I guess what I’m saying is all of them are special since there is a memory or person attached to each one!
On a different note, I woke up early this morning. Hard to sleep last night due to the wind blowing so stinkin hard all night long and it’s bitter cold out. It was suppose to snow here over night, but looking out I didn’t see any snow on the ground. Maybe the wind blew most of it away. Stay warm everyone!!
We either dug or bought a balled & burlapped tree for many years. Our first tree when we moved here was about a 4′ cedar tree; probably about 2′ in diameter. It smelled great and boy did it bite! It didn’t live, but we sure enjoyed it. Before we moved down South 42 years ago, we gave our last tree there to some friends. It was a “Charlie Brown” tree. We visited about 5 years later and in the same place was a glorious tree. Our friends swear it was the same tree. And our last tree we had here, we gave to our neighbors behind us and it is probably 12′ tall and they even built a gazebo off to the side. It surely is Christmas! And while our tradition with decorated trees is precious, it is all about Jesus. What is this world coming to? Jesus!
Paul, your comment about a cedar tree “biting” made me smile. When we first moved to Austin, Texas in 1976, there were still large tracts of undeveloped land scattered throughout the suburbs. We could walk our back door into “forested” land – or what passes for forested in the Texas Hill Country – live oaks and cedars (actually, they are junipers but they look like cedars). I wanted to give my two young daughters the experience I had as a child – tromping through the woods of Kentucky looking for the perfect cedar to bring home. Many cedars look like they are perfectly shaped Christmas trees from a distance, but when you are standing next to them you see their imperfections – kinda like people . When we settled on a tree, my husband cut it, dragged it home, and we decorated it. It made our house smell great, but within a week of being in our heated house the tree became a virtual sticker bush. Everyone had fun decorating it but I was the only one who had the “fun” of taking the ornaments off. My hands looked like I had tried to bathe a herd of cats. After two years of family tree cutting, my daughters asked if they could buy a “real” Christmas tree at the tree lot like all their friends. I still put fresh cut fresh into vases to decorate my house at Christmas.
Your tree is beautiful and the spark plug is a great memory for you and Matt.
Every year when putting up our tree we travel. We get an ornament at all the places we travel and year after year we talk about the memories we have. After 29 years we are still doing new adventures but also our regulars. Tomorrow we travel to the Smoky Mountains for our annual trip to photograph wildlife and enjoy tourist activities also. Prayers for Granny.
What wonderful memories