Quiltingboard Forums - My Christmas Tradition

Dear Friends..... 
Christmas time for most of us is our favorite time of year but for many it
becomes a very sad and difficult time to struggle thru after you have lost a
loved one. I know this may not have much to do with quilting but Please read what I have to share with you so that you may find
your Christmas spirit again. Perhaps you have not lost a loved one...Well
then maybe you can share this with some one that has and make a big
difference in their holiday. 

I lost my Dad about 20 yrs ago and found that Christmas had a whole
different meaning now. Instead of the the warm holiday spirit that my family
always enjoyed with a great passion it was replaced with such a huge sadness
and painful emptiness that was unbearable and seemed to grow worse when each
holiday rolled around. 

I began what I call my Christmas tradition that has helped me
find my Christmas spirit and with each year it has grown and once again I am
able to enjoy the holidays. It all began a few years after I lost my
Dad......I still had to go thru the motions of Christmas because I had two
little girls and so tried very hard to hide my pain. I used to love
Christmas but now had grown to hate this time of year. I had to shop for
Christmas gifts for the children but avoided the Christmas department with
all the decorations and such like they were selling the plague! And then
they would play that Christmas music thru out the store that was sure to
have me standing in the middle of Walmart crying my eyes out. Sound
familiar, or perhaps It's just me. 

It is kind of hard to buy wrapping paper with out entering the
dreaded Christmas department so I intended to make this quick. As I made my
way back down the aisle with paper in hand a little gold trumpet caught my
eye, not that I was looking for anything but it kind of jumped out at me and
said, DAD! My father was a musician and among the many intstruments he
played the trumpet was what he had played since he was a young boy. Tears
welled up in my eyes and felt the urge to just flee out of the store but
instead I picked up the little trumpet and wept in the middle of Walmart yet
again. 

I bought the ornament and hung it on my tree that year. I still
had many episodes of tears thru out that holiday but each time I looked at
Dad's trumpet hanging on the tree I felt as though in a way he was with me
that year. The little gold trumpet is a tribute to his memory and began the
healing of my Christmas spirit. I have since each year bought an ornament or
some sort of decoration in memory of my Dad. I can't tell you how much that
has helped me and brings a warm and happy feeling to my heart each year. I
am doing something with that grief and have found a way to still include my
Dad's memory in my holiday celebration! He would not have wanted me to let
my holiday spirit die with him. 

I since have lost my Mother as well and each year I buy an angel
in memory of her. Many others have adopted my tradition the past couple
years and found that this has helped them as well and with each year their
hearts and Christmas spirit heals a little more with each holiday. I now
have what I call my tribute tree. It is a little not quite 3 ft artificial
tree that I sit on the end of my dining room table that sits in front of the
window. It takes me about 3 hours to decorate it carefully each year with the many
ornaments I have collected for Dad, Mom and a few other loved ones. I even found some little guitars last year for
my uncle Bob. It does
not make me sad but is decorated with love and great memories of each person
and pet. Memories of great Christmas's of years ago. 

Yes....I even have ornaments in memory of my horse Cherokee and
"Gumpy" my cat. Hey, what ever helps us thru a difficult time, I say, do it!
Our pets become as family members and is painful to lose as well. Gumpy had
a favorite green bulb he would steal off the tree. He is no longer with us
but his favorite bulb is still hung on the tree inspite of all the scratches
on it. I wrote his name with Elmers Glue on the bulb and sprinkled glitter
on it so it now bares his name. 

I know that you are probably thinking nothing could help the
dreadful pain you are feeling with each day as the holidays approach but
believe me you would be surprised how a tiny symbol of your love and memory
of your loved one will give you just the little shove you need to begin to
heal. My Aunt Mary loved Cardinals so my cousin Judy buys something with
cardinals each Christmas. Think of something that reminds you of that person
and go buy that ornament today. I know that I can not be the only person
that has stood in a department store during the holidays with tears in her
eyes. You are not alone! 

Share this post with anyone you like. My hope is that my
tradition will help others this holiday. If you would like to contact me
about my tradition please PM me HUGS Corry Geissinger