Over the Top Tree Topper

(Click to enlarge)

We used to live next to the flower shop, when my daughter Ashley was age three to ten. This is the top of a tree I decorated back in the mid eighties in our home. As you can see, living near the shop was handy. I was constantly borrowing plants, silk flowers, decorations, etc. I kinda went crazy with this Christmas tree as a practice for an annual fundraiser called the Festival of Trees hosted by a local hospice program. I envisioned fireworks coming out of the top, when I designed this.

I had participated the first two years in the Festival of Trees and none of the trees were very fancy for "designer trees," as they were called--not even my own. One thing I quickly learned. This was a very expensive charity function for my sponsor--our shop. Each year both the shop and me personally would spend more and more money on these trees. I designed trees for the event for about fifteen years, and it became a challenge to out do last year's tree. In the next few posts, I will show some of those trees.

This particular tree at home though was so pretty and I wish I had more photos of it. I do have several photos of a sleepy looking girl opening gifts under this tree on Christmas morning back in 1985 (guessing), but I won't embarrass her with them! Even little Ashley thought this tree was over the top! She had never seen anything like it. She thought it was bit much and too big, and hated flowers being on it. She was never that interested in flowers. But this tree was a good practice for the future Festival of Trees that we all would enjoy.

The Black & White Angel Tree

This black and white angel themed tree is one I have put up ever since my grandchildren were born--that is, if I put a big tree up. It also has many homemade decorations that my daughter made throughout pre-school and elementary school. Well, obviously the tree has a little bit of everything--your typical home Christmas tree, but mostly angels.

This was the first year my grandchildren had spent Christmas with me, since they previously lived in Florida. The first time they saw the tree lit up, they would stare at it for hours and tug at decorations (the kids were more destructive than the cats)! But that's okay! PaPaw spoiled them good at every opportunity! Alex would tell everybody "PaPaw got lights, PaPaw got lights!" I had way too many lights on that tree LOL! Those were such good memories.

The first photo is clickable, in case you want a closer look! Click it! You know you want to! Yes, that is a black angel on top of the tree too. And if take a closer look, you will see dozens of angels, some with white robes on and some with gold robes. Half of all the angels are black and half of them are white.

I mixed the black and white angels, because my grandchildren are mixed, meaning they are biracial. They have a Caucasian mother and an African American father. They have a big family of both white folks and black folks.

I know you probably wouldn't believe that the kids are biracial by looking at them, but they are indeed. They look more white than black, but when the children look at people, they do not see a skin color. They see beyond that, and I am proud that they are accepted in both worlds. I'm also thankful that our families get along. The kids are very smart and very talented too!

This is a terrible picture of the kids, I know with those facial expressions! I couldn't resist posting it though, because Tommy the Cat is also in the photo! By the way, Tommy is still with us, but he is getting old! The children are eight and seven years old now and were about two and three in this photo.

The bottom photo is not clickable, but can be magnified by pressing Ctrl + a few times.

Since this photo, I have also put new curtains in that room and painted the walls the greyish marble look that has been seen on this blog before. It is actually three colors painted with a special double brush and a lot of touch ups by hand, and the trim is brilliant white. It looks so much better! The room is actually a large dining room, but we don't use it for dining. It's more like a sitting room with no television. It's my favorite room in the house. Nothing Christmasy in it this year though.