Oh, Christmas Tree

By Reba Hull Campbell

Christmas trees can gin up pretty strong emotions and opinions in people at this time of year. First, there’s the “live” vs. “artificial” tree debate. Then, there’s the decision of how early a tree should go up. Is before Thanksgiving too soon? And how long can it stay up? Multi-colored lights vs. white lights? Garland vs. tinsel? The options are endless.

I always get into the holiday spirit early seeing my Mississippi family’s trees decorated when we visit at Thanksgiving. That said, I fall squarely in the Sunday after Thanksgiving as the first day I feel ready put up a tree. I’m also one of the first on my block to drag my tree to the curb the day after Christmas. While many people these days opt for the more-high tech, beautifully lit, artificial trees that are way easier to put up and take down, I still love the process of choosing and decorating a live tree.

This is the first year I’ve bought a full-sized tree after opting for a shorter, table-top version for the past 15-plus years. This beauty stands ceiling height in a full-length window in the sunroom/office on the front of the house. Granted, it’s a little lopsided and has a few bare spots, but I love the smell of the fresh tree as I work just feet from it.

Some people may look at this tree up close and think it gives off a Charlie Brown-ish vibe.  There are no shiny glass balls on the branches or a fancy star on top. But this tree is full of memories from thousands of miles traveled, dozens of cities and people visited, family history, childhood artwork, dogs, homes, cars, music and hobbies. I am grateful for surge of happiness I feel every year when I unpack the boxes of ornaments that hold a lifetime of memories.

David and I have been buying ornaments from places we’ve visited ever since we got married. I treasure the annual unwrapping of memories from trips to places as varied Israel and Idaho, Bangkok and Boston, Peru and Paris and lots of others. Back around the third and fourth grades, my friends gave each other hand painted or cross-stitched ornaments. I still hang several of those every year. In addition to ornaments, we have a few items from childhood also hanging on the tree – one of David’s swimming ribbons hangs next to a key to my childhood home.

My tree topper isn’t a fancy bright star. Rather, it’s a slightly lopsided and years-worn angel my Granny gave me as a young child. She also gave one to my sister and my first cousin – her third granddaughter. Several years ago, all three of us realized we still lovingly unpack that angel for our trees in Columbia, Mt. Pleasant and Georgia. A couple of years ago, my cousin made an ornament for each of us featuring photos of these angels in memory of our grandmother. Such a sweet memory to unwrap each year.

In recent years, I did ditch the old white lights for some new sparkly multi-colored ones. But the brightest part of this tree isn’t the lights – it’s the glow from the memories it sparks. When friends gather at our house over the holiday season, I always love finding someone being drawn to the sunroom to look at the tree and to be reminded of many of the memories that we share.

As the great philosopher Charlie Brown said, “It’s not what’s under the tree that matters. It’s who’s gathered around it.” And I would add to that, it’s also the memories that hang from it.

Reba Hull Campbell is president of The Medway Group. She spends her time working with clients on writing, PR/advocacy planning, media training and staff development. She spends her down time on her bikes, playing in a band, travelling, writing and reading. Reach Reba at [email protected].