Tarnished Favorites

A box of tarnished favorites from the early 1900's to the 1960's.

 My active imagination often works to my advantage during the holidays. Despite the glitter and aluminum caps, I find that the palette of pink, pale blue and gold - along with tarnished German tinsel - lends an 18th century air to them. This year they hang from a small frosted tree in the dining room.

The largest of my trees is in the living room and is hung with German handblown ornaments - reproductions made in the 70's which are still available - a fish, half-moon, squirrel, turkey, fruits, and vegetables, as well as hand-made ornaments from our 1st Christmas together and beautiful little carved wood angels from Italy...which always hang near the top of the tree just below the glittery star.

The house I grew up in in New Jersey was on land that was the first Christmas tree farm in America. The land was owned by W.V. McGalliard outside of Trenton and I attended McGalliard Elementary School. There were still Norway spruce scattered throughout the neighborhood with one house nearly hidden, as if it was in its own little forest within the neighborhood of 50's tract homes. One year they cut one down and brought it to the school as a gift. I was too young to grasp the historical significance but, to this day, I recall the proud looks on the family's faces when they presented it. It was like our own Rockefeller Center tree. No wonder I have a thing for trees. Must have been something in the soil.

Info on the history of the Christmas Tree from "The Christmas Tree Book" by Philip V. Snyder (Viking Press 1976)

Photo (c) C.Andrako 2011 All Rights Reserved