Blog No 12 - Mom’s Women’s Day Adventure

It was a dark, dark Christmas.

There was a point when I was younger when my Mom got this idea to redo our Christmas tree. We went to a craft store, and she bought these floral picks that were bunches of nuts – yes, you read that correctly, nuts. Then she bought several spools of brown velvet ribbon. When we got home, she went about creating bows out of the velvet ribbon with gusto.

I did not understand what was about to happen and so I did not complain about this too much, which was a bit of a feat as I believe I was somewhere around 11 or 12. Once the bows were complete, it was finally time to decorate the tree, and I was excited to get going.

She started by arranging the bunches of nuts, now adorned with brown, velvet bows on the boughs of our fake tree. I opened up the box of other ornaments and started picking out my favorites to place on the tree. Then, the unthinkable happened.

My Mom informed me that we wouldn’t be putting any of the old ornaments on the tree anymore. What?!? But what about the special German glass one from Aunt Sandy? Or the wooden ornaments that my brothers and sister had painted as children? What about the engraved gold ornaments that my aunts and uncles had been giving me the last few years?

The answer was a resounding no. I couldn’t believe it. We were going to have a tree that was covered with just nuts!?! (This is a very serious memory for me, but seriously, every time I type the word nuts, I start giggling at the absurdity of it.)

After a lot of crying, some hysterics and a bunch of pouting, she agreed we could put the engraved gold ornaments on to add a metallic accent. The rest of the traditional ornaments stayed in the boxes. So, our tree was white lights, bunches of nuts, brown velvet bows and a handful of gold metal ornaments. As I said, it was a dark, dark Christmas.

I’m not really sure what anyone else thought of my Mom’s creation, as at that age, I was not interested in anybody else’s opinion on what my Mom did to “ruin” Christmas. I was a kid, pretty darn spoiled and not amused. My Grandma allowed me to decorate her Christmas tree which lifted my spirits significantly. She even gave me a little aluminum tree for my room.

As I was recently recounting this story to my sister, who was already out of the house when this “travesty” occurred, she suggested that Mom probably saw that idea in one of her magazines. With those wise words, it hit me. Mom was trying to be trendy! She probably saw something like this in Women’s Day magazine and thought it was pretty. My Mom was doing what I do nearly every day when I create. She had Women’s Day, and I have Pinterest.

Perspective is a funny thing. This damn brown tree was like a scar for me on about 5 years of Christmases. I hated it with a passion. Yet now that I understand what my mom was trying to do, I get it.

It was just a tree and I gave it way too much credit. I also realize that the “ugly to me” tree did not ruin Christmas. It did not diminish the feeling of family gathering around the tree or the heartfelt giving of the gifts which sat beneath it. It certainly did not alter the delicious food which was a part of every holiday celebration in my family.

The year she decided not to steam the brown bows attached to the bunches of nuts and instead toss it all out was such a relief to me. The traditional and sentimental ornaments went back on and I am happy to say that many of those ornaments from my Mom’s tree still grace my own Christmas tree today.

Would I have felt differently if my Mom had explained what she envisioned? I’m not sure. I’d like to think I would have “bought in” to her plan and been more supportive, but the truth is, I was probably not mature enough. I looked long and hard for a picture of this tree but was unsuccessful. I called my sister and asked her to look through her photo albums and she could not find one either. I am inclined to think that no one really wanted to pose in front of that “nutty” tree! (I couldn’t resist) We had a good laugh reminiscing on this memory.

The interesting thing to me is that after looking at pictures of many trees in my album, they honestly were all pretty sad. I say that with a chuckle, because again with some perspective, I now totally get what my Mom was trying to accomplish. The strands of popcorn and kid’s school ornaments were just not that attractive, although they were sentimental and well-loved.

An Undated D’Amico Family Christmas Tree

No “travesty” here, just handmade ornaments and popcorn strung by yours truly.

I’m not a parent but I do have some advice if you decide to overhaul next year’s Christmas tree with the next big trend, perhaps found on the cover or your favorite magazine…

Wait until you’re an empty nester.