I looked again for my great-grandmother's Glass Fish Ornament, the one ornament left from that generation of my family.
I remembered how Amy and I were reminiscing about my Mom's labels on Fruitcake and other things, how she labeled Ornament Boxes. How I don't know if I would know the Glass Fish was Jessie's except for a label penciled by my mother, now missing from our Ornament Storage Box, but well-remembered by me.
Then I noticed the Angel Topper on top of our tree. It's a Tradition of my Children to put the Angel on the top of the tree as the last step in decorating the tree. Even now, as grown-ups, they still want to take their year's turn and put her on top of the tree.
Warren and I wonder every year if this will be the year they don't seem to care about the Antel Tree Topper, but it hasn't happened yet. Every year, they have written their name on the back of the angel, on her wings, so there wouldn't be any argument over whose turn it was each year. They've been sharing this special job since 1984. Some years one of them would be gone on some adventure, and the other would have another turn, out of order. They were always so careful to make sure the other one made up their turn by taking two years in a row.
Warren and I wonder every year if this will be the year they don't seem to care about the Antel Tree Topper, but it hasn't happened yet. Every year, they have written their name on the back of the angel, on her wings, so there wouldn't be any argument over whose turn it was each year. They've been sharing this special job since 1984. Some years one of them would be gone on some adventure, and the other would have another turn, out of order. They were always so careful to make sure the other one made up their turn by taking two years in a row.
I started wondering which ornament of this generation would stand the test of time. My mother's Shiny Brites are still part of my family's tradition. I love to get them out each year and add them to my tree or fill a bowl with them.
What ornaments will Ben and Sarah cherish after we are gone? Like I've cherished my mother's Shiny Brites and my Great Grandmother's Glass fish?
Will Sarah cherish her 1982 Photo Ornament, with her favorite "Heidi" outfit, passed down to her by her cousin, Abby, made from Swiss material by Abby's paternal grandmother?
Will Ben cherish the Ornament I love, my Glass Lighthouse Ornament, a favorite of mine--I collect lighthouses, you see.
One of those moments, I guess, when I can't help but wonder...which of our current-time ornaments will be cherished by our children in 25-50 years?
