Remembering Christmas Creating A New Wreath

The new wreath seen by day.

This year, being a crafty soul, I decided that I wanted to make my very own Christmas door wreath. I had all kinds of things to make one so ... why not?

     I got a green foam circle from JoAnn's, sprayed it with gold paint, dragged out things I had collected this year and then added the pine cones I had collected over the years plus the weird pods one of the trees in my condo complex drops. I had some fake poinsettias, a few sprigs of red berries. With hot glue gun in hand I started to lay the pieces down.

     Once I figured out the general layout crawling around on the floor and trying not to burn myself with hot glue, I begin to reflect on the Christmas's of my life.

     My Dad was, with his family, a German immigrant who came to America in 1926. Since Opa was in his 30's when he arrived, customs of the old country die hard and the first Christmas's I remember were in Toledo, OH. I remember that you didn't decorate the tree until Christmas Eve and we used real candles for lights. Imagine that. Because I was so hyper, we didn't open gifts until Christmas morning otherwise I and nobody else slept! Real candles make an impression! We may be able to achieve the same effect today with LED candles. I will have to look into that.

     After we moved to Oregon I can remember Christmases spent in both Roseburg where my mother's parents lived, once or twice in Seattle where an uncle lived and sometime everyone would descend on our house in Portland. Before my sister was born, Roseburg was the most popular rendezvous as it was a kind of center from Seattle and Los Angeles where another uncle lived.

      Even though my mom and dad had a contentious relationship the holidays still were fun times as there were cousins, neighbors in Roseburg and lots of good things to eat. After Grandma's morning cup of coffee and a Camel cigarette, her day was often spent in the kitchen.

     In fact so many of the things we ate and drank then have gone by the wayside today. I loved fruitcake, now considered door stops, that my grandmother made. She would soak it in rum for a month before the holidays and even the kids could have a slice or two. There was always a mince meat pie, something as dead and gone as the dodo. Drinks were a warm form of eggnog called a "Tom & Jerry" that mellowed everyone after a few. We were given virgin versions but now and then would add a little of the adult stuff when no one was looking.

     For my first two Christmases in college I took the train from Payne, OK to Toledo, OH to stay with my Opa and second Oma. Again, with an aunt, uncle and cousins, I would learn about the old traditions I left behind when we moved to Oregon.

     My first Christmas in Liberia, West Africa as a Peace Corps volunteer was spent in the bathroom as I tried to survive Malaria. In fact both Christmases were spent this way. They were memories just not ones that I wanted to repeat again.

     Before I married I usually went home to Albuquerque, NM, where my mom had moved finally not able to stand the gloom and rain of Portland after my father passed away. The first Christmas after his death I started making my own Christmas Cards, something that continued for the next 50 years. There were a few interruptions but the last two years I re-started creating my own again. I'm not sure who the card is for ... the person you are sending it to or the memories you want to keep.

The new wreath with LED lights!

     When I married a close friend of my in-laws told us to create our own rituals, our own forms of celebrating and that is what we did. We had friends and family over Christmas Eve and would open a present or two at home then hustle over to the in-laws Christmas day for presents and a day filled with food and drink.

       One by one though, our numbers shrank until, with the kids gone, only a few were left to celebrate the holidays with. Comments about setting up Christmas decorations caused deep discord and then, the ritual, if there was to be one, fell on me. 

     As I glued the pieces and poked the styrofoam with stems and dripped on hot glue each piece seemed to bring back memories, some good and others not so good. Last year I landed in Beijing on Christmas Day to visit a dear friend. It was still Christmas Eve in Palm Springs when I landed there. This year I stay home, my friend was unable to visit again so I celebrate both alone and with local friends. 

     New memories, old memories. Some bring happy thoughts remembering wonderful, kind and loving people from our past. I guess it is the memories that we cherish most. The sad or angry memories, you have to let go. They are there but you can't let them hold any power over you. Our pasts are, well, in the past!

       And so, this is my wreath created from both old and new pieces, real and artificial that together signal a new beginning and a Christmas tradition that I can call my very own.

Thank you for reading my blog. I invite you to take the time to read earlier blogs where my emphasis is to explore the ways art and design affects our daily lives ... and always has. I share with you what inspires me with the hope that it will inspire you as well. Comments are always welcomed! 

Be sure to check my ETSY store ... KrugsStudio.etsy.com. I am adding many new and exciting, collectible birdhouses and craft items. Many of the items talked about here will be for sale there!