I believe everyone has vintage/old ornaments that adorn their Christmas Tree every year. But this year I have officially inherited my mother's silk ball ornaments that she had made in Okinawa, Japan 1970 (during the Vietnam War). We lived there for 3 years and my mother designed some ornaments and a Japanese lady made them for her. There used to be about 60 of the silk balls but over the years some have come un-spun and were thrown away. After my mother died my grandmother had them on her tree for 20 years/Christmas Seasons. This year, I have them. My grandmother passed away this early summer and the Christmas Balls have come to live with me. I am delighted to have them on a tree with my grandmother's ornaments as well. But for me, these Christmas Ornaments represent years of memories and legacy. My mother was very creative and every year she hosted the very first Officer Wives Club Tea wherever we lived on base/post. This is the 21st year after my mother's death in 1988 that I have the blessing to decorate with these Christmas Balls. So, I thought I would share them with you here. I am pretty proud of them and I hope to one day pass them onto my daughter and she will take great care of them. Funny, while putting them on the special tree that I purchased this year just for these ornaments...a rush of memories flashed throughout my mind. Christmas music in the background, cookies in the oven, and cider in a copper pot on the stove. This is how my mother started her decorating. I hope to share and embed these kinds of memories with my children. I hope they always remember that it is the special touches of memories that mean the most.
Not the gift that was given under the tree.
