When I was growing up, putting up the Christmas tree was always one of the most wondrous things to me. We always had a real tree; I grew up in the country, so we would go to a nearby neighbour’s who grew them and pick out our very own. Daddy would cut it, and would pay for the tree while he made small talk with our neighbour for what seemed forever to my sister and me, who were anxious to get our tree home so we could begin our Christmas preparations.

Mom would have the boxes of ornaments and Christmas decorations out and we would begin untangling lights and sorting through the ornaments while Daddy set up the tree. It was always like diving into a treasure trove for me, those boxes marked “Christmas Decorations” that resided for 11 months a year on a ledge in the basement. For those 11 months, they were simply a couple of cartons that gathered dust; but when December arrived, they became magical.

Inside each box, carefully wrapped in tissue paper, were a range of ornaments, handed down from my Grandmother. Handmade, they were delicate and fragile, and my sister and I were only allowed to handle them once we were nearing our teens. Two cardinals with flexible tails and adorned with dazzling glitter were two of my favourites. I always got to place them on the tree, finding the perfect boughs on which to place them , so their proud red breasts created a spark of bright colour against the deep green of the tree. There was a box of hand-painted and decorated bulbs in various shapes that had been a gift from an aunt who had shepherded them home from a visit to Germany before I was born. Each was wrapped in tissue paper and sat nestled in a separate compartment of a cream-coloured box. Opening that package, I always felt a moment of awe at the detail and beauty of each bauble. I was so excited, being given the permission to place those bulbs on the tree for the first time. I handled each one with loving reverence and care, taking the responsibility given me with a bit of breath-holding trepidation, ensuring each one was securely anchored to a branch before stepping back and looking at my parents with a smile and a great deal of pride.

While I have always had a Christmas tree in my home in Second Life, this is the first year I have decorated my own. The ornaments in the gacha machines at the Tannenbaum Winter Market are designed to fit the Botanical – Green Douglas Fir Christmas Tree, also found at Tannenbaum. With the tiny land impact of these mesh ornaments, I could finally decorate my own tree. And when I saw the winter ornaments in metal box from [ keke ] for The Arcade, I was flooded with memories of those Christmases with my family, rediscovering the Christmas treasures, handed down through the generations.

The best Christmas present ever.

Pretty stuff I’m showing off:

From Tannenbaum Winter Market (through December 25th, 2015:

Tree: Botanical – Green Douglas Fir Christmas Tree (Tannenbaum) by Kriss Lehmann

Bunny: – Kalopsia – Bunny Foofoo – Sitting – Brown by Isabeau Baragula

Ornaments from {anc} by aki69:
glass ornament. for tree (SNOW) 2Li RARE
glass ornament. for tree (RAIN) 2Li RARE
glass ornament. for tree (1) 1Li
glass ornament. for tree (2) 1Li
glass ornament. for tree (3) 1Li
glass ornament. for tree (4) 1Li
glass ornament. for tree (5) 1Li

Ornaments from !Ohmai by Anya Ohmai
X’mas Magic [Rae]
X’mas Magic [Fah]
Gold Star Topper
Doilie Tree Skirt

Other ornaments:
Schadenfreude Feline 2 Catmas Ornament by Allegory Malaprop
MishMish – Kitty in a box – Pastel by Amie Takaaki
RazzBerry Inc. [RI] Pearl Berry Ornament (Bubblegum) by Jayme Lorakeet
Jian Holiday Critter Baubles :: Bluebirds by JianSL

From [ keke ] by Kean Kelly
*winter landscape (available for MIX at the mainstore December 2015)
*shimmer dust [used as lights in Christmas tree] (available for MIX at the mainstore December 2015)
* shimmer stars in a jar (available for MIX at the mainstore December 2015)
*shimmer stars in a dish (available for MIX at the mainstore December 2015)
*winter ornaments in tin form (gacha prize at The Arcade December 2015)
*winter ornaments in metal box RARE (gacha prize at The Arcade December 2015)
*2 winter ornaments on string (gacha prize at The Arcade December 2015)
*winter metal tree – snow (gacha prize at The Arcade December 2015)
*winter countdown calendar (gacha prize at The Arcade December 2015)
*the 13th star – bright by Kean Kelly (available at Kustom9 Nov. 15 – Dec. 10 2015)
boxed glass balls – glow RARE (gacha prize)
twinkling lights log – snow wood

From [ zerkalo ] by DanielEstro
Ladder: Cozy Corner – Ladder White – PG
Gifts: Magical Christmas – Pile of Gifts#1

From Pixel Mode by Tya Fallingbridge:
Remington – Luminary – Red Green Silver (gacha prize at The Arcade December 2015)
Remington – End Table (gacha prize at The Arcade December 2015)

Build: Scarlet Creative Country Keep by Charlotte Barlett