The Christmas Tree: A Tapestry of Life…

So it’s that time of year…The holiday lights twinkle, shoppers dash about the city, and families gather with the Christmas tree at the center of all the festivities.

I’m an avid collector of American primitives. My interest is driven by my belief that the items I collect have a tale to tell. It’s the proverbial, “If this item could talk…”.

This love of all things with a story was perhaps the reason behind my mom gifting me so many wonderful Christmas tree ornaments when she and my dad were downsizing. As I opened the bin that held these treasures, an amazing story emerged. Each ornament was significant in some way. From the angel tree topper which I made in kindergarten out of a discarded Ivory dishwashing soap bottle as well as handmade ornaments from all of my siblings to old photos framed by my mom, I found these items revealed the history of my family to my children and husband.

But the ultimate storyteller is the ornament pictured above. The green Mobile ball hanged on my parent’s Christmas tree for as long as can I remember and on my grandparent’s tree prior to that. You more than likely don’t recognize that logo. You are probably more familiar with this one:

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But those of my time remember the pegasus that identified the Mobile gas stations for years. My grandfather owned a station and received an ornament each year during the holidays. These ornaments became a coveted item for my mom’s generation, each year revealing the same label, but a different color and occasionally, size. This green version was the largest and most unique. It always was front and center on our family tree, and now it adorns mine.

As we placed it on our tree this year, I told of my grandfather. His sense of humor is something I will always remember. The ornament also brought me back to the many years of decorating our tree with my parents and five siblings. I am so honored that I now adorn my tree with this priceless memory. I want to share this eventually with my grandchildren, and I hope they will share it long after I am gone.

Christmas has always been more about family for us, and ornaments such as this allow the memories of our family continue through the generations.

Happy Christmas!

and Stay groovy…

–Susie

(Copyright 2018 Susie Krivacic)