Christmas tree

O Tannenbaum, O Tannenbaum

Wie treu sind deine Blatter!

O Christmas tree O Christmas tree

How lovely are thy branches

We learned this song in school when I was young - in English and in German because our teacher was Canadian and taught us German.  

Back in the 50's and '60's, you couldn't buy a Christmas tree in southern Japan.  We would take the station wagon to the mountains and find a wild tree to cut down.  We'd drag it home and Mom would decorate it.  I would be mesmerized sitting in front of the Christmas tree as a child, looking at the colored lights through the spun glass "angel hair" Mom put around the tree.  It sort of looked like the tree below.  We even had similar curtains!

Many people put up beautiful designer trees each year.  My tree is not designer, for sure.  It is more of a feel good tree for me.  A time to bring back memories of places we have been and people I love.

Our very first ornament from Hallmark the year we got married

An ornament that brings back memories of our son's Christmas 

when he was 1 year old.

1979

  Snowmen ornaments representing the states we all live in

Snowmen with our grandchildren's names on them

Japanese ornaments from my "home" country

                                    from a friend

 

our church in Japan had these 

ornaments from various places we have been -  I try to get one wherever we travel to.  Here are a few...

 Israel

Switzerland - our relatives have the real bells hanging in their living room

Pinocchio from our trip to Italy

              the Russian doll from supporting friends who went to Russia to teach

                             and the cross from our mission trip to Puebla, Mexico

from Haiti last year

from our summer trips to Dauphin Island

ornaments from teaching Sunday School  

And of course, because we are fans!

whimsical ones

and sweet ones

and birds, of course!

and those from friends -

 

inside joke with our friends

                                                                 one friend made this for me

from Aunt Millie 

from my brother who made this shrinky dink ornament 

and the word we clung to when our friend's little baby died

from our first year in this new house  

I found this great case to keep all my ornaments in! 

I love this ribbon!  The Names of God!

Behold!

I bring GOOD NEWS!

 One stocking looks "karappo!" or empty.  My husband better get shopping!

 My sister-in-law made this for my parents and she insisted I take it when they passed on.  I LOVE it!  Mr. and Mrs. Santa decorated with Japanese items.

Oh Come let us ADORE Him!

Last evening we were invited to a friend's house.

They had these simple trees with a train 

running around and around at the bottom.

choo choo choo!

That would be so much easier to set up than ours.

It takes me at least 2 hours!

One day, we will simplify.

But for now, I just sit and enjoy the warm feelings!

'Twas the Dream Before Christmas

Josh and Staci's house was all decorated for Christmas.    

I like this idea!  But as more and more people just post a picture on Facebook, Staci says the tree gets more sparse each year.

 Milk and cookies served nightly?!  I'm afraid it's a lie.  But it's cute!

Emeri was getting her hair done for the Christmas musical.

And Elijah was so very ready to take Papa on!

 

After dinner, we went to the play.

Emeri and Staci had gone earlier.  Staci helped backstage.

'Twas the Dream Before Christmas

The children in the family in this play were so selfish and just thinking only about themselves and what they were getting.  Their father is ready to cancel Christmas!  He's so fed up with their attitude.  They fall asleep in the living room and then they have this dream about the real meaning of Christmas. 

   

Emeri was a pirate. 






When I was in grade school, we did the play of "Mutiny on the Bounty" and I was a pirate too!  My brother Doug was Long John Silver.  Definitely not a major production like Emeri's play.  We only had around 15 kids in our one-room school house.  Emeri took classes for this production as an elective at school!

My favorite part was where the children are asked if they can even recall what was on their Christmas list from last year.   Hmmm.  Do you?

  And here are gifts that last forever.  It was sung to the 12 days of Christmas tune.

1. New life abundant and free

2. Joy in my heart

3. Peace in my soul

4. Love for the world

5. God's Holy Word

6. Hope for tomorrow

7. All my sins forgiven

8. Gold streets in heaven

9. New songs for singing

10. Grave that's amazing!

11. Life filled with praying!

12. Life everlasting!

Yes, the gift of Christ is the BEST thing ever!  But one must receive this gift.  If someone gave you a gift but you didn't accept it, it isn't yours.  

"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him, will not perish but have eternal life."  John 3:16

The robot costumes were amazing!

The next morning we went to church and sang about the birth of our Saviour.

Because we were celebrating Staci's birthday, we let her pick where to go out to eat.  Olive Garden!  We ate sooooo much and were stuffed!

 Off to pick out Christmas ornaments for this year.

 And all too soon it was time for us to leave for home in Kansas.

 Silly waves!