In the Eleventh Blog of Christmas...

So.... in the eleventh blog of Christmas, your blogger gives to you a look at my second Christmas Tree. It is more traditional, a kind of family tree - the tree where all the meaningful ornaments hang. It is 7.5 feet tall and is covered with 600 colored lights (not pre-lit).



I have another Santa as a topper for this tree. He is a doctor, and proceeds from his purchase benefit the Children's Miracle Network (so buying this Santa helped out ole Arkansas Children's Hospital).



Some of the ornaments commemorate trips and vacations I've taken. The Pineapple (posted yesterday) reminds me of my trip to Hawaii; my friends from that trip actually just sent me a Palm Tree ornament (sorry, no pic). The Goat ornament honors my vacation to Maryland and DC (see the 9th day for the 411 on the GoatMan). The Raccoon or "Mapache" commemorates our trip to Costa Rica, where wild "mapaches" would walk right up to your dinner table and swipe food if you weren't careful.





I received this ornament (from Tammy Adams) before moving away from Tennessee.



Does this Jack Russell ornament need any explanation?



This is the first year this SpongeBob ornament made it to the tree. It was usually relegated to a wreath, displaying oddball ornaments. It was given to me 5 or 6 years ago by a friend, Debbie Dillon, who passed away about a year ago after a long battle with cancer.



I think the neatest thing about a tree like this is the memories that each of the ornaments conjure up for me, whether good memories or bittersweet ones; Christmas should be a time for family, tradition, memories, and fun. May God Bless You this Christmas.