Sunday, January 11, 2009

My Christmas Tree Connection

Sweet Christmas Tree,

Thank you for your beauty and your tallness
Thank you for your greenness, for your health, for your freshness & longevity
Thank you for your patience and understanding and your stately manner




Thank you for being part of my family, if only for awhile
Thank you for the lovely scent that filled my home with wishes & dreams
Thank you for each twinkle, sparkle and especially thank you for your great magic

You filled my heart with love
You helped my little girl to dream and to feel the memories of the warm safe love of my Mom and my childhood home

That more than anything is what I dream of each Christmas and hope to recreate in my own warm and safe home

So now, with gentle hands, flowing but deliberate movements, and many tears in my eyes, I remove your beautiful baubles, your seasonal jewels each one having special meaning to me and a history all its own



I untangle the warm glowing, twinkling lights from your still supple branches
I keep them lit as long as possible to light our way


Lastly I reach up to your highest branch and take down my special sparkly star that you wore so proudly


Thank you for being my friend and for your sweet service this year to make my heart brighter and my home more loving and warm


You will live outside now, on my porch, in the crisp cold air, as did your many sisters that came before you

You will be free and unadorned accept for the winter sunshine, rain, snow and the occasional wild bird that visits us


When you tell me that it is your time to go, weeks or even months from now, I will gently lay you down out by the woodshed to rest and perhaps dream

Dream of the forest from which you came.

Thank you my precious Christmas tree. You brought me happiness and magic. It saddens me to have you leave my home.

I will always love you.
♥♥♥

Ok, so now the whole world knows that I am an overly sentimental and soft hearted little girl who loves the magic of Christmas and misses her Mom dearly every day and feels a connection to her through my Christmas tree.

Oh well.

© Copyright 2009 Mountain Harvest Basket

8 comments:

frugalmom said...

What a special post. It is clear that Christmas and your tree hold a very special place in your heart. As well as the many lovely decorations that have adorned it over the years.

Hold that close to your heart...and it will always make you happy.

CaliforniaGrammy said...

Oh how special it is to enjoy the Christmas tree and at the same time honoring your relationship with your Mom, Jen. There's nothing wrong with being a sentimental and soft-hearted little girl from time to time. Bless you.

Hardware Bob said...

Your posting was exquisite and sensitive, a fitting memorial for one of Nature's most stately and finest offerings to us.

My own tree, removed nearly a week ago from my living room, leans bare and unstately against my front steps. And, I haven't quite had the courage to relocate him to the compost pile to make the annual journey back to Nature.

The drying pine needles are quickly falling to the ground, and I know in my heart what must be done. I also know that the spirit of the Christmas tree will return vigorous and green again with next years Boy Scout tree harvest.

The precious memories of friends, parents, and childhood are always inside us, thank you Christmas tree for helping us remember them so well. See you next year.

Barbee' said...

You sent me into the past where I was once again a little girl. I could see that which is the most beautiful thing (s) in the world to me... my mother's Christmas trees. And that fragrance... oh, the fragrance.

Farmer Jen said...

Hi Marcee,
Yes, very special. I do hold these things close to my heart.

Hi CA Grammy,
Thank you for your sweet, understanding words. My little girl appreciates that.

Hi Bob,
Yes, the spirit of Christmas and our sweet memories live inside of us. My tree is still very green and soft. It will live for quite some time on my porch.

Hi Barbee,
I am glad that my Christmas tree post touched your heart and brought back good memories. Thank you for reading my blog and leaving a nice comment.

@JeanAnnVK said...

I love your Christmas Tree post! I miss the days when we had a live tree...we would always take it to be made into mulch, then use in the yard...sigh...miss that smell...:)

Laughing Orca Ranch said...

Awwwwww, such a lovely tribute to your Chistmas Tree. This reminds me of the way that Native Americans honor and show respect for everything that feeds, clothes or shelters them...animals and plants.
They take nothing for granted and respect the earth and Mother Nature and appreciate her bounties she shares with them :)

~Lisa
aka~Rapunzle

Farmer Jen said...

Hi JeanAnn,
I always get a real pine Christmas tree. I wouldn't enjoy anything else. Love their scent!

Hi Lisa,
I like what you say about the Native American respect for nature. I do try to live that way as much as possible.