Monday, December 5, 2011

An Eclectic Christmas

It's always a blessing to recall exact conversations of those I love who have passed away. One in particular comes back to me each Christmas as I unpackage the decorations, rediscovering the memories and the gift they are.

One year, my Aunt and Uncle from California were visiting. We were sitting around my mom's house and my uncle began to comment on all the brick-a-brack.

"I can't decide which style you decorate in Rose." he said. "You seem to have a mix of just about everything I can think of!"

I looked at my mom's face and knew she was embarrassed and ready to defend her treasures. In one of my best moments, I stepped in, explaining that I liked Mom's style, as it was eclectic and uniquely her.

"Eclectic!" he exclaimed as if he'd never heard the word. "Perfect word to describe her taste. I'm so glad you came up with that one."

I've never forgotten that conversation and the power that one word had to defuse what could have been my Uncle seriously hurting my Mom's feelings. Isn't it interesting how one word could do so much?

Eclectic. Every year, as I add the ornaments collected over 20+ years to our tree, I consider the memories. Some memorialize family vacations, some favorite, creative teachers who obviously have way too much macaroni. Some of them are tattered and were cheap when they were purchased, and yet I smile when I add them to the tree.

Mom loved Christmas. She had too many decorations, and connected them all with household extension cords strung everywhere with no attempt to camouflage them. They all went up on Thanksgiving day and typically came down before Christmas day. And there was absolutely no theme.

I understand the love of uniformity in decoration, as in many things. I grew used to Mom's taste over the years but there were a few things that bothered me. It drove me crazy to never have silverware that matched or to open a cabinet and not have dishes organized. I also don't like dusting, so I try to keep the knick-knacks to a minimum.

But the Christmas tree is another story. It's quite a confection of memories, complete with bubble lights and bells that blink in time to Christmas tunes. If seeing cords makes you nuts, you won't admire our tree; it's prelit and there are cords everywhere. All the ornaments have stories, and they are all added, giving the angel has alot to look at.

As our two oldest children have left home to begin their own traditions, their ornaments have gone with them, and hopefully some memories of their mom, and her eclectic Christmas tree.