Memories adorn Christmas tree

We have so many ornaments on our tree, I don't think another one would fit. There are lots of homemade ornaments like the red and white beaded ornament Grandma Dorothy made way back in 1980. Grandma will be 90 next April and every year since Jenee was born she sent her a fancy princess ornament from Hallmark. Then there is one delicate ornament with a painted a poinsettia made in 1973 by our next door neighbor from San Diego. Her name was Mrs. Belt. I would clean her house and iron her pillowcases in exchange for piano and sewing lessons when I was 12 years old. This ornament is special to me because it was only a couple of years later that she died of cancer. She was too young.

I see a blue ceramic bell hand-painted by my sister Christy from 1981. There are several dehydrated apple slices with a cinnamon stick glued on from back in 1999 when we harvested lots of fruit out of the orchard. A couple of tennis rackets, lots of different types of bell ornaments and candy canes in lots of flavors and colors. Last year at the Family Support Council's craft fair I picked up two light bulb ornaments. One is a cowgirl that looks like Dolly Parton, the other is a red hat lady. They are so unique. This year we didn't want to take time out to string popcorn or cranberries as in years past, so Jenee and her dad got out some red yarn and strung small pretzels, 40 feet of pretzels. It was worth all their energy. The brown and red look so pretty on the tree and I think the birds will love them when the holidays are all over.

We have several ornaments that hang on the tree engraved with our wedding anniversary date, Dec. 27, on them. There is a cowboy boot, a pewter heart, a crystal heart and a wooden boot. Happy anniversary next week, honey.

Here's one I bet not too many people have - an ice cream cone. The cone is real and the ice cream is a green satin ball. We have quite a few noisy ornaments that sing songs or ring bell sounds or play prerecorded messages. One ornament that hangs on the bottom branch of the tree is a series of glass bells. It's our alarm if the dogs try to take any presents out from under the tree. Our dog Frosty has been reprimanded on two occasions so far for sniffing out, unwrapping and eating Dad's chocolate-covered cherries that I thought I had hidden pretty well. Remember, chocolate is very toxic for dogs.

Lastly is our red and gold angel who sits atop our tree. She looks as though she is watching us to make sure we are paying attention to the meaning of Christmas and not the commercialization of Christmas. Have a wonderful and blessed Christmas.

-- Lisa Welch is a Johnson Lane resident and can be reached at 267-9350.