December 13, 2004

Saturday night I came home from work with a Charlie Brown Christmas tree. It was small in size but its branches were full and it was the perfect size for the bay window in the library (formerly the dining room). Jeb was in the basement playing video games when I got home so I told him to stay down there; that he couldn't come up for awhile. And then I proceeded to decorate.

I put our Chrimstas cards on the bookcase next to a candle holder shaped like a Christmas tree, filled with red votives (but not so close together as to set the house on fire!). Amid these cards was the photo card I received from my brother in Afghanistan. It was his entire troop (group, company, platoon?) with my brother in the front row, looking like the soldier he is, dressed in cammies, putting on his "tough" face. On the back he had written something about how it would be nice to get a letter from us. Well, won't he be surprised when he receives the 7 lbs. box of goodies I sent him last week.

On the entertainment center I put the pointsettia that Jeb's mother sent home on Friday. Its leaves were bright and red and filled the empty spot next to the TV with holiday cheer.

Next I put out the red acrylic serving trays we received for our wedding last year (something from our Crate and Barrel registry) atop the coffee table, filled with festive bows from the holiday wrapping. (HINT: That's a good way to dress up your house - place a few bright bows in a pretty bowl or serving dish for a quick, inexpensive dash of holiday decor!) Between the dishes I placed a silver fir scented candle.

And then for the tree...

I placed the Christmas tree in the window and filled its boughs with tiny, multi colored lights (one strand was long enough for my small tree). I usually prefer white lights but Home Depot was out of them so I settled for the colored ones. Then I wrapped the base of the tree with the red velvet tree skirt my Mother gave me a year or two ago. After this I added the ornaments purchased from the dollar store earlier that evening, small balls in red, blue, silver and gold.

It wasn't the biggest, most beautiful tree to ever welcome in the holidays, but it was the best tree I've ever had, for one simple reason: Atop the tree was a dollar store Angel, dressed in a thin, ivory satin gown with gold ribbon draped over her shoulders. Atop her blonde plastic head was a gold halo made from something resembling pipe cleaners. And over her gown, the Angel wore the finest cape ever made. It was made of soft ivory mohair and lined with elegant satin. The hood was trimmed in real mink and the cape was tied about the Angel's neck with a gold satin cord. It was a perfect fit, as if this heavenly cape had been made just for this Angel...

when really it had been made almost 20 years ago for a Barbie doll, crafted by the skilled hands of my late Grandmother.*

I put my Home Alone soundtrack on the stereo, cued up the song O' Holy Night (my favorite Christmas song), lit the candles, and turned off the lights. Then I called Jeb upstairs to witness the holiday creation I had made for us.

He walked up slowly and joined me by the tree. "Merry Christmas," I said to him softly as we embraced. "Merry Christmas," he replied. We held onto each other tightly, the house silent except for the beautiful harmony of the music playing. I pointed up to the Angel. "It's my Grandmother's cape," I explained. "I thought that was the best place for it." He nodded and said, "I agree." When I looked back at Jeb, I saw a tear at the corner of his eye, glimmering in the candlelight. "Are you crying?" I asked, to which he nodded. "Why?" I asked. "It's so nice," he replied. "I've been trying not to cry," I laughed softly and we embraced again, standing there until the last strains of O' Holy Night drifted through the speakers.

Christmas isn't here yet but I've already had the best holiday season I could ever dream of, standing before a Charlie Brown Christmas tree, it's small branches radiating the most love I've ever felt. And there atop the tree, watching over me and my husband, reunited again, was a dollar store Angel dressed in the finest cape ever made by my Grandmother. It was as if she was looking down on me from Heaven, saying, "I will always watch over you."

When I married Jeb last year, I walked down the aisle in my Grandmother's dress, and considered myself blessed. And Saturday night, after almost losing my marriage but finally saving it, Jeb and I stood beneath that tree, and once again my Grandmother blessed us, this time by draping our Angel in fine fabric and enduring love.

* To read the story about my Grandmother's cape, Go here

that was then - this is now