This tree, the one that sits on my dresser, is probably one of my favorite trees in the house. I bought this tree on the day after Christmas, 2009. I was getting ready to head to Seattle to spend my winter break with Mark. We had only met in April and we had not spent all that much time together before he moved back to Seattle. Shopping for holiday gifts was hard! I had spent a bit of money at Macy's and a few other shops buying him gifts that I didn't know if he needed or would even want. I was frustrated.
Suddenly, it dawned on me, what we needed was memories, not more stuff. So, I returned the gifts that I had bought. I purchased this tree, the small ball ornaments and 1 frame ornament. I decided that we would begin a new Christmas tradition. Each year, where ever we were, we would pick a day to celebrate "our" Christmas together. Each year we would buy an ornament frame and hang a picture of the two of us together on the tree. This year we added our sixth frame ornament.
Year one: Ornament bought at Target, photo taken in Mark's room at Paolo's house in Seattle.
Year two: Ornament bought at Biltmore Estate, photo taken on the grounds at Biltmore.
Year three: Ornament bought at The Sampler in Haddonfield, photo taken on our wedding night in Pittsboro, North Carolina!
Year four: Ornament bought at Restoration Hardware (2009), photo taken in NYC, Central Park in December.
Year five: Ornament bought at Restoration Hardware (2009), not sure exactly where this photo is taken, but I love that it is a selfie that Mark took while I was trying to take a photo.
Year six: Ornament bought at Target, photo taken at Anthony's on Dec. 22nd of this year, before heading to the Ritz to see Scrooge. I love that Mark took this photo looking into a mirror so that we are both in it!
I remember when I first concocted this idea. I remember setting up the tree for the first time when I arrived in Seattle in 2009. I remember Mark saying, "I don't know. It's an awfully little tree to hold an ornament for each year that we are together, can you imagine how many that will be when we're 80?"
Well, perhaps in 20 years, a new tree will be required!
