Spread the Christmas Joy with Corrine Lussier | Day 13

Joy from Corrine Lussier

"That Vintage Tree"

Living in Southern, one’s mental image of a classic winter wonderland is a far cry from reality. I can remember many a Christmas getting ready for the festivities only to be putting on shorts, and my grandparents cranking the air conditioner to just mimic the “cold” atmosphere we were supposed to be having. When it comes to Christmas traditions I suppose Southern Californians have to get quite creative, as chopping down a Christmas tree is probably not as fun or accessible. This is why I absolutely adore the receiving of an ornament every year.

This tradition has been passed down for three generations, starting with my lovely great-grandmother who recently went to be with the Lord. My mother recalled every Thanksgiving as a child arriving to her house and having an ornament at her place setting. My great grandmother gave us all great- grandkids the most vintage looking ornaments. Back then they used to be silver and gold metal, and then some would be painted. She was only able to find ones like that till I was 16. They just don’t make them like they used to.

That tradition was then passed to my grandmother who brings home from all her different adventures abroad the most unique treasures to go on my tree. My favorite is by far the ornament she brought back from Italy. It looks like a postcard with a very European looking Santa Claus. The outer edges are decorated with glitter. It is quite delightful to have ornaments from different parts of the world.

My mother is now the last person in our family that participates in the tradition. She gave me my very first “Sleeping Beauty” ornament. I now have a small tree specifically dedicated to my “Sleeping Beauty” ornaments. It is a delightful collection that I have. By the time I married, I had enough ornaments to cover not one, but three different trees, in which many different family members like my mother-in-law and my other grandma participate giving me an ornament to match my personality or from their adventures.

Some may think it a bit excessive that my family can acquire that many ornaments, but I don’t believe in buying a bunch of what my family calls “filler” ornaments. You know the ones you buy from Walmart in different color combinations? I believe that ornaments are meant to be hung with you recalling a different memory on each branch. It makes trimming up your tree truly a family event, and something to have a conversation over.

This year will be a difficult year, as the tradition started with a woman who made Christmas very special for my family, and is now celebrating with her loving Savior, but there is something to be said about those vintage ornaments that started a family tradition from long ago. I look forward to the day that I can start collecting ornaments for my children and keeping that memory of my great-grandmother alive.

_________________________________

 

Corrine Lussier is an aspiring author that loves to entertain with her short stories, essays, and soon novels (Lord willing). She is a Lead English tutor at College of the Canyons, and just finished six weeks of radiation therapy treatment with hopes of being completely cancer free in the year 2014. Corrine lives in Southern California with her loving, hardworking husband and spoiled sassy Shar Pei, waiting (and really looking forward) for the next adventure of her life to begin.

Connect with her on her blog:
http://isaidhellohurricane.tumblr.com/

Spread the Christmas Joy with Linda Wood Rondeau and Giveaway | Day 6

Joy From Linda Wood Rondeau

There is a reason I do Christmas with a small fiber-optic tree.

I hold my now twelve-year old cat and reflect back to that day when I surrendered my will to a bundle of fur. Six-month-old Duffer, our adopted orange and white kitten loved the excitement of the six-foot tree as I adorned it with my Christmas memories. He batted away, believing the tree was his new toy. I tried to explain to him that these ornaments he had knocked off the bottom limb were very precious to me. My husband laughed. “Do you really think he understands?”

I tossed Duffer his favorite catnip mouse. Diversion had always worked for my two-year-old. When I plugged in the lights, he bounded in, sniffed at the tree, stretched his torso three branches up and batted on the relocated ornaments until one by one, they plopped to the floor.

Like my GPS, I decided to recalculate.

I sat by the tree with a water pistol. Duffer stared me down, stretched his torso as far as he could reach. I aimed and fired.

“I win!” I said as he scooted.

Not for long. He sauntered back in, and stretched to full measure yet again, this time merely blinking when I sprayed him.

“We’re not finished, yet, Cat.”

Next I tried aroma, a cat-deterrent spray that smelled like ammonia, highly recommended by cat trainers everywhere. Unfortunately, the spray was equally offensive to humans. I admired my undisturbed tree amidst coughs and gagging. At least for awhile.

“Get down from there,” I yelled. I’d never screamed at my kitty before. He looked at me with sad eyes as if to say, “Now, how could you possibly talk like that to someone as cute as I am?”

He stayed away for a few hours. When I went back to the living room later that day, Duffer had managed to find another napping place near the top of the tree.

“Duffer!” I yelled. He jumped. Like Jill of the nursery rhyme, the tree came tumbling after.

The next day I bought a three-foot fiber optic and the rest is history.

Christmas is now enjoyed by all.

When I remember Duffer’s first Christmas and his insistence to find his place among the inviting branches, I think of how God woos us, relentless in His pursuit for our Love. So much so, He sent his only Son to show us the way to Him.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

Authors Note: Since this writing, Duffer has since passed on. But he still leaves a huge imprint in our hearts.

___________________________________

Winner of the 2012 Selah Award for best first novel The Other Side of Darkness/Harbourlight, LINDA WOOD RONDEAU, writes stories of God’s mercies. Walk with her unforgettable characters as they journey paths not unlike our own. After a long career in human services, Linda now resides in Jacksonville, Florida.

Linda’s best-selling Adirondack Romance, It Really IS a Wonderful Life, is published by Lighthouse of the Carolinas and is available wherever books are sold. Her next releases were her devotional book, I Prayed for Patience God Gave Me Children and Days of Vines and Roses.

Joy Comes to Dinsmore Street and A Christmas Prayer have been released in time for the Christmas Season. Songs in the Valley/ Helping Hands Press. Will be released in late 2013 or early 2014.

Readers may visit her web site at www.lindarondeau.com or email her at lindarondeau@gmail.com or find her on Facebook, Twitter, PInterest, LinkedIn, Google Plus and Goodreads. 

 I love writing little notes and have an affinity for vintage...well, anything! Today's giveaway features a festive red doily and a fun Christmas-tree decorated note pad both with a vintage feel - perfect for leaving notes for friends or loved ones. 

**Giveaway rules: To enter, comment on each the post (or posts) in the month of December that offer giveaway items you wish to win. One entry per person per giveaway item is permitted. All winners will be drawn in January (after the holiday craziness) and will be notified shortly thereafter.

A little vacation...

You may or may not know this, but aside from my day job working at a church I also run a small photography business! This last weekend I was out of town shooting a wedding in beautiful Northern California.

I had such a wonderful time up there catching up with my family and then photographing the wedding at the amazing location up in the mountains just past Etna, California.

After that, I came back to Southern California and my parents drove down to spend some time with me.  Due to that, I skipped {Writer Wednesday} this week and am using this little post as an update for this week instead.

Just yesterday I launched a stylized shoot of photos I took and thought I'd share a few here for your viewing enjoyment.  Photos like these inspire me to write - especially if the end goal is a wedding. To view the full post of this session click [here].  

Do photos or beautiful scenery inspire you to write?