Thursday, December 18, 2008

A Ceramic Christmas Tree Makes For A Great Nightlight

I must start this post with a disclaimer. I am not old enough to remember when these ceramic Christmas trees were hip. All I know is that my grandmother had one and as she got older, it became the Christmas tree under which my family placed their gifts. Mana (Mah Nah) has been gone for many years now and I have no idea what happened to her tree. I'm guessing that my Aunt Artimease (yes, that's her real name) has it since I think she's the one that made it for Mana.
I love Christmas. I have a Christmas tree in each room of my house. Even the bathrooms. I think that this addiction (see the post right before this one) has trickled down to my daughter. An old friend of the family recently had to move away from home to live with distant relatives and she gave Raelynn her ceramic Christmas tree. (I think anyone over the age of 60 has one or their parents did.) We set it up in her bedroom during the Christmas season and it was a very festive thing for her. After the holidays, she really wanted to keep it in her room. So we traded it for the night light. She has a healthy fear of the dark and this tree has scared away many of her worries.
It looks so pretty.....I wonder if there is a way to get one and attach it to my dashboard so I can enjoy it as I drive. I've tried decorating the car by putting up a tree, but found that David wasn't as up for it as I was. So whenever I feel a little nostalgic, I go sit in the dark in my daughter's room and remember simplier times at my grandmother's house. Merry Christmas Mana.

6 comments:

Crystal said...

My grandmother also had one of these. I remember hers well. She was a very active senior citizen and one of the things she liked doing at the senior citizen's center was ceramics. I was about 8 or 9 years old the year she made (painted) hers. When she brought it home, she made me put in all of the little plastic "bulbs." I did that for her every year, and I honestly loved doing it. Every time I see one of those trees it makes me think of her. I might try to talk to my dad to see if he'll let me have hers. I would love to have it in my home to light in her remembrance. Those little trees may not be hip, but I think they are lovely.

Mrs. McMillen said...

seriously, my tree like that is probably my favorite christmas decoration that I have. I have so many memories of my Mamagee's dining room with that tree in it....LOVE it.

Anonymous said...

those trees were once hip? there's no accounting for taste, but sentiment trumps it every time. rock on with your multi-tree home!

Laura @ our messy messy life. said...

My grandmother had one of those Christmas tree nightlights, too. To me, they are hip. Who says they're not?
I thought it was the most beautiful thing in the world when I was little. Eventually, she got so old that she no longer decorated for Christmas but just left this nightlight and a Christmas tree candle out all year round in the room my sister and I slept in when we visited her. Thank you for posting about this nightlight tree. It made me happy to see it!!!
p.s. I read your blog from Laura T's link.....you always have such interesting things to say.

Crystal said...

Thanks for letting me know about that opening, unfortunately I've already promised to work for my mother at her tax office from Jan-April. Please do let me know if anything comes available for next school year though, I really would love to work there.

Anonymous said...

I need a post, Tassie--it's been 3 days and that's 3 days too many. Hope all is well and that you're "simply having a wonderful Christmas time" and too busy with that to post.