Edmonton Wedding Photographer | Family Christmas

All of last week, we had planned to have a family day on Sunday. Daniel had a hockey game early in the day, then we would put up our Christmas tree, and I would make roast chicken and yummy vegetables for dinner. Normally, somehow, we get all off track with our plan and things don't get done, but I am pleased to see that we managed to do all the things we set out to do. Daniel even scored a goal!

Ever the sentimental fool, I thought I would share some of my favorite memories of the day (and my childhood) with you.

When I was little, I remember wrapping up in garland while Mom decorated the tree, pretending it was a big feather boa. In my mind I was a movie star, complete with huge sunglasses and a white wide brimmed hat. Truthfully, I was a chubby 7 year old, with full bangs, and a kittens on my sweatshirt. But I had fun. Later in life, Mom replaced the 'tacky' garland with little silver beads on strings, just like the red ones I found when I got my own tree. They have never actually made it onto the tree, but I was delighted when Bridget ran around the house for the better part of an hour with them wrapped around her like a boa. She loved them almost as much as I loved my silver garland finery.

The next thing she was transfixed with were the twinkle lights for the tree. As soon as Daniel plugged them in to make sure they were working, she immediately started trying to blow them all out, like Birthday candles. It was hysterical because they wouldn't blow out and she wouldn't give up. Finally, out of breath, she took to wearing a twinkle-light boa instead. In fact, she liked hers so much she thought Daddy and Daniel needed one too!

Finally my darling Jamie took of his illuminated finery to get down to business. Try as I might, even though I make him put the lights on the tree every single year, he still insists we don't need a pre-lit tree. As long as I don't have to put them on myself, I will be alright, but it really would save a lot of hassle and avoid me having to tell him how to do it, like I would do it, if I was going to do it. You can imagine how that goes and are likely therefore siding with me when it comes to the pre-lit tree.

No one can ever accuse Bridget of not being a hard worker. As soon as she saw us putting the decorations on the tree, she started to help. This is her pile of decorations she made on the branch of the tree. It's like she thought it was a nest. I think she did a very good job of decorating considering this is only her second Christmas. Perhaps next year, if Jamie is still holding out on me, he will have another helper with the lights.

These are shots that you might think that we had to stage in order to get 2 (there are really close to 15). However, whoever designed this lovely (did I mention it is un-pre-lit) tree put a top on it that's about a foot and a half taller than it needs to be, so putting any star/angel/annoying neighbor on top of it takes about 20 minutes longer than it does to give instructions and supervise the putting on of lights. So I had ample opportunity to get a few shots of the kids putting the star on top, which was always something my sister Maggie and I were anxious to do when it was our year to take our turn. Dad would lift us up and we would proudly put the star on. It's was a big thing for me, so I was happy that Daniel is old enough to help Bridget with the honor!

Below is the completed tree. You will notice upon close inspection that the ornaments toward the bottom are looking a little sparse. This was not an over sight. This is Mother of a Toddler Christmas Tree Decorating Strategy at it's finest.

Now, for the sappy part of the Blog post. You knew there would be one. This little dough girl was a gift that Jamie gave to me the first year we lived together. We lived in a giant drafty house that was built about 70 years ago, that had a Silence of the Lambs basement and birds nesting in the attic. We rented the house for exactly one year, while Jamie managed the Wal-Mart in the town he grew up in. Looking back, the acre or two of land and all of the extra bedrooms and office space was wonderful and I would love to have that big old house back, even it if had seen better days and there were foul roosting above my head.

Anyway, the little dough girl is a bit too big to be an ornament, but she is very special to me so she lives in the tree anyway. Jamie bought her because she reminded him of me. Yes, I had long brown hair, but I wasn't made out of dough. Yes, we had a dog, but he wasn't little and brown, he was giant and grey and looked like a wolf. But he did have a red leash, and Jamie had great intentions. So she lives in the tree with all of the other special things that remind me of very special people.


This little glass angel reminds me of someone from when I was an itty bitty tiny girl. As in not much older than Bridget. When we lived in Catalina, Newfoundland, I would occasionally manage to escape my house in not much more than a pair of underwear and rubber boots to visit the next door neighbours. Andrea (Awny- my babysitter), Robin (her brother), Mabel (Mo- their aunt who taught me everything I wish I still new about gardening peonies and growing potatoes), Ruby (Awny and Robin's mother and the best baker and crocheter ever) and Nanny Curtis (Awny and Robin's Grandmother).

Anyway, so way back when I was the size of Bridget, 'Nanny Curtis' gave me little angel shaped foil ornaments. They were so fragile that every Christmas, one of them would be lost, despite everyones best efforts. Finally there was only one left, and I trucked her around for years. However, now I can't find her anywhere. She is gold and silver, and the size of your thumb. I am very sad that she is gone. I really loved them all quite a lot and now there are none left.

This year however, I found little glass angels to take her place. They are the same size, and the exact same shape, and though glass isn't much sturdier than foil, hopefully I am old enough now to know the importance of keeping important things safe, and Bridget will tell the story of Nanny Curtis's ornaments to her children (or on her Blog as the case might be).

Now. This is perhaps the most heavy hearted ornament of all. This one gets specially wrapped, in it's own shoe box to make sure he stays safe. It isn't particularly old, or expensive. It just reminds me of my favorite person ever. My Poppy Maloney.

I was only seven when he passed away, but I can remember him as plainly as I remember anything that happened this morning. He was the most gentle, patient, and funny man who ever walked this earth. I remember him buying me pet pigeons (Gloria and Jacob) to my Grandmother's chagrin, dressing up as a mummer to make us laugh at Christmas, and meeting me getting off the school bus after school. He lived 45 minutes away from where I lived back then, so meeting me after school was no small deal. He also bought me my first cat, Smokey. No one could predict that I would grow up to prefer dogs about 100 to 1 over cats, but really, he had the best of intentions.

I also remember him building me a wooden manger scene, complete with all of the figures from the nativity. Disaster struck a few years back and the small wooden structure that I held in my heart so dearly fell and smashed. It took me until last year to finally throw it away. But I still have the figurines that were glued to the bottom.

This bird reminds me of Poppy Maloney, and it might not remind anyone else of him at all, but he always had tiny little birds all over the place. In his car, on his tree, in his house. When I saw this one on a tree at a gift store last year, I was certain it was him forgiving me for throwing away the manger scene. Poppy's bird now precedes proudly over the tree.

So that's my sappy foolishness coming out. I had best go find something productive to do before I get too far down memory lane.

I look forward to seeing and hearing from all of my friends and loved ones over the Christmas season, and though it's too early to bide everyone a Merry Christmas yet, I hope everyone is enjoying the preparations for the season as much as I am -especially while I am at Sobey's buying up some fantastic Christmas baking to pass off as my own!