Tree Tag

I love my Charlie Brown Christmas Tree.  It has so many great memories.  Let me start with the tree.  Matt and I inherited this tree just before we got married.  Someone from our church was getting remarried and had offered us their old washer and dryer.  When Matt drove up to get the two machines, the man kindly offered their old, artificial Christmas tree.  As a young, engaged - and broke - couple, we gladly accepted.  I never dreamed we'd have it this long. Matt has allergies and I've heard stories of his near death experiences with live trees, so we chuckle every year when we pull our tree out of a box and reminisce its adoption into our family.

And what would a good Charlie Brown Christmas Tree be without one hundred million ornaments on it?  My romantic and thoughtful husband started a beautiful tradition early on in our relationship by buying Christmas ornaments for me each year.  Since we began dating, he would secretly purchase an ornament, have something painted on it - and would present the gift to me each year at Christmas.  Doesn't that sound lovely?  Well, wait, I found a way to ruin it.  Two years ago, I decided that I wanted to have a "grown-up" tree with every ornament matching the decor in our home.  (I know, crazy, just bare with me...)  So, I left all of the old, but very sentimental, ornaments in their boxes, went to a well-known store and purchased matching ornaments...much to my husbands chagrin.  He was so deeply hurt, that he vowed never to purchase another ornament for me again.  Which he has kept. In an effort to gain back his love - and hand-picked ornaments - I put every ornament we've ever received on the tree last year.  It didn't work.  So, I tried again this year.  Still didn't work.  Although, he did inform me of a new tradition, which would be to purchase Annelise a new ornament each year, special, from her daddy.  A good compromise.

So, that's the long, but true story of our tree.  I tag YOU to share yours!