Studly Doright and I were married in July of 1976. I was just shy of twenty, while he was only 18. Broke, stupid, and in love, we had no idea then of the hurdles we’d have to jump over on our way to 43 years of marriage and beyond.
As our first Christmas as a married couple approached we had to set some new guidelines. I was set on keeping up my family’s Christmas traditions while he was equally set on keeping his. We managed to compromise fairly well, but there was one thing I insisted on–a live tree at least six feet tall. Studly’s family had a smaller tree that stood on a short table, as I recall.
I got my way that year, and we soon had our beautiful tall tree standing in its brand new red and green tree strand awaiting decorations. There was just one problem–we had no ornaments. None. And that tree had eaten up most of our disposable income.
My mom came to the rescue. She gave us three kits of felt ornaments that I could stitch together and decorate. One set featured characters from the Wizard of Oz.
Another set included typical Christmas characters–an angel, a snowman, and a Santa.
The last set featured Christmas trees and wreaths. I’ve managed to lose the wreaths, but my Christmas trees have hung in there (pun intended) all these years.
Several days ago I was scavenging for book five in the Harry Potter series at our local Goodwill book store when I came across a little felt tree hanging from the store’s tree. It was exactly like the one I’d made all those years ago
I wondered if some young woman had lovingly stitched the pieces together, adding shiny sequins where indicated by the kit’s directions. Had she been as nervous about her future as I was about mine?
And I wondered why this poor felt tree came to be all by itself at the Goodwill store. Of course I bought it and brought it home. I introduced the ornament to its counterparts on my tree, and then I let our elf on the shelf comfort it.
Welcome home, little tree.
Peace, people.
Praying for Eyebrowz 
I remember those kits! I think I attempted a stocking once, but it was beyond my skills at the time. Yours look wonderful and have clearly withstood the years of use. I wonder if they still make those somewhere? I think I’ll check into that idea…
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My poor scarecrow is a mess, but I think it suits him. I had zero skills when I started making those, and I can’t believe most have survived 13 moves over 43 years.
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I actually looked online-crafty type stores still sell these kits! And the stocking ones that I remember 🙂
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I might need to buy a new set or more—something for my grandkids’ future trees….
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Herrschners online has bunches I found, although I’m sure local crafty stores have them as well!
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I feel inspired!
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🎄
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Such a wonderful memory! You are such a wonderful storyteller too
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Thank you so much.
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Lovely Leslie. Getting all teary remembering our first Christmas when we had no money either and I made all sorts. But this a llvely tale of you finding that felt tree xxxxxxx (18 and 20…you were bairns. xxxxx)
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We were bairns. He wouldn’t be 19 until November of that year. Shockingly young!
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Happy memories!
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OMG Dorothy and her pals! 🙂 I just showed this to my girl child and she had the biggest smile on her face. Tomorrow I’m going to show this to my mom, she made felt ornaments for us last year, animals mostly. 🙂
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I’ve been inspired to find sets to make for my grandkids.
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Those are so adorable! Some of my favorite ornaments are the handmade ones from friends and family, even a few of my own.
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Thank you. They look better in photos than in real life—some are pretty raggedy nowadays.
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I remember these! Thanks Sis for bringing back a flood of fond Christmas memories. Love you!
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I remember these! Thanks Sis for bringing back a flood of fond Christmas memories. Love you!
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Love you!
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Well done, both you and your Mom
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I miss her so much, but she left me with some wonderful reminders of her love.
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This is the cutest story. And it’s so lovely that you’ve kept the felt ornaments all these years!
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Thank you!
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Greetings! Hubby and I celebrated 43 years on the 18th of December! Our first couple of years had to follow tradition as well. Although I cannot ever remember my mom having to anchor her tree to the wall with eye bolts and wire! We have made our own traditions over the years, and now our children have created their own. And so it goes. Congratulations on 43 – And to many more! (Love the Oz ornaments!)
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43 years is something to celebrate, as our traditions! Merry Christmas!
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I like to think it came to the home it was looking for through all those years.
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Thanks! I like to think that, too.
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