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Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Make do: Turn old into new

   When my 96-year-old great aunt died in the 90s, I inherited this box of ornaments, tied with the same string shown here. This keepsake, which comes out every year at Christmas, reminds me of my beloved aunt, but it also reminds me of her frugal ways:
  • Want little
  • Buy only what you love
  • Buy quality goods that will last
  • Take tender care of all possessions
   In an effort to keep Christmas decorating fresh each year, I do not put every ornament I own onto the tree. Year before last, we had a red-n-white tree. Last year we downsized to a smaller tree (purchased on clearance after the previous Xmas), and I chose to use only clear glass/lucite ornaments to decorate the tree (love the way they catch the light).
   This year, I am decorating the tree with my predominantly white ornaments...ones in which white draws the eye first. A couple of ornaments from this box made the cut, as did this little one-armed white wooden snowman. Don't know what happened to his other arm...don't even know where I got him. But I did use him this year...even though he fell into two pieces when I tried to hang him. A little Elmer's glue fixed that! He doesn't look great on his own, but he kinda recedes into the ambient "white Christmas" feel I am going for.
   Because I don't have oodles of white ornaments (let my daughter take all ornaments she wanted when she moved into her own home last year), I will also use this year the 100+ little hand-blown Czechoslovakian ornaments I bought for 3 bucks at an acquaintance's yard sale.
   I love these little ornaments, but I would soon hate them if I put them on every year. So, by changing things up, the old becomes new again. And I am satisfied without buying something new! Now, if you'll excuse me, I have 75+ more t-tiny ornaments to place on our tree.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Almost all of the ornaments my Grandma uses are exactly the type in your picture! So great to know that someone else still has that kind too :)

Jessica

Dmarie said...

I dearly love them...your G-ma has good taste! (and talented, socially conscious offspring, as evidenced by your blog, Jessica)

Lindy Mint said...

Those ornaments are so sweet. That's a great idea to not use all of them every year (it's amazing how they amass over the years isn't it?). I was going to throw away a whole bunch of ornaments this year, but now that I've read this, I may just save them. Thanks for sharing!

A SPICY PERSPECTIVE said...

I have a box like that from my grandmother and they are some of my most cherished ornaments!

Dmarie said...

@Lindy, if my post has diverted your ornaments from the landfill, my work here is done. ;)
@Spicy, You and Jessica talking of your grandmothers makes me want to remember what all I have around here that belonged to my grandmothers. Christmas sure makes me nostalgic.

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