The Story of My Christmas Tree 2010

This is the third year in a row that I have posted the story of my Christmas tree.  It is essentially the same post as last time.  Each year I add one ornament to my Christmas tree.  There is a whole story behind it that you can read here.  It all started with a single blue ball. (#4)  And now I have 13 ornaments on the tree.  I missed a couple of years in there.  This year I have the same 13 ornaments that I had last year.  Since I did not acquire a new one last Christmas it solved my dilemma.  I simply added both #2 and #12 with no need to choose between the 2.  The key is below.  If you gave me one, Thanks.

1. This is a ball from the LaGrange Park RAs. It was part of a Lottie Moon fundraiser in ’05. The RAs were placing these in honor or memory of someone for $4. Mine says “In honor of Jesus,” I thought it fitting since it was Christmas

2. This is a University of Kentucky candy cane.  It is one of a set of 4 (But I couldn’t stand to put all 4 of them on the tree that was just too much ornament adding) given to me by Wes & Kristi who said that their son, Carson  picked it out. (The same Kristi who gave me #13) Added in 2010

3. This is the tassel from my college graduation in ’01. I was really proud of this since it took me 13 semesters to actually graduate from college.

4. The original blue ball. (made of actual glass) added in 1996.

5. Is the famous tin-foil ball. I added a couple of layers to it when I moved up to the full sized tree.  Also I stuck a nail with a red ribbon in it.  We got the nail/ribbon at church a few years back to remind us about Christ’s sacrifice.

6. This is a snowman with a jingle bell built in.  Holding a sign that says, “Jesus loves you snow much.”  I got it at the Cumberland Beatitude house on a LPBC youth work day December 2008.

7. This is a slightly used fishing bobber, complete with weights and an actual hook, complete with barb to hang it. It says 80¢ on the side.  I added this one myself in ’04.

8. This is a glittery snowflake.  I’m not sure who, but somebody at Mexico Baptist Church gave me this. I lean towards thinking it is from Sandra Belt and it came in a card or something. Added in 2002.

9.  A University of Kentucky Wildcats ornament. I bought this at Wal-Mart, can’t remember when, but probably like ’03 since I was new to North Carolina and felt an extra need to represent my team in hostile territory

10. A little wooden snowman with my name on it. A Couple of my former students, Kristen and Melissa, gave this to me I’m guessing it was ’01.

11. This is the tassel from my seminary graduation cap. I got this in December ’06 when I graduated seminary. This is all that remains from my regalia rental fee of $80, so I’m definitely going to hang on to it.

12. This is a ball from the LPBC Lottie Moon Fundraiser 2008.  It was given in my honor by my Pastor and his wife.  It is made of actual glass and was added to the tree in 2009.

13. This is the ornament that started my one ornament per year method.  The one Kristi gave me in Christmas 1996 but it made the tree the next year, so we’ll call it ‘97

The Story of My Christmas Tree 2009

You may remember this story from last year so I won't rehash the whole thing.  But I add one ornament to my Christmas tree each year.  This year I am in a quandary about something maybe you can help me out. I got both ornaments #3 and #4 last year, so I have to make a decision.  Do I break with tradition and  keep them both, or do I choose only 1?  If I keep them both then I would be getting closer to the number I should have, (remember I am a couple of ornaments shy of 1 per year) but if I begin compromising here, then why stay on my 1 per year path at all?  just for the record, I'm not throwing anything away.  The one I demote will go to my small Christmas tree.  Read the tree key then vote in the poll at the end of this post.

1. This is the famous tin-foil ball. I added a couple of layers to it when I moved up to the full sized tree.  Also I stuck a nail with a red ribbon in it.  We got the nail/ribbon at church a few years back to remind us about Christ’s sacrifice.
2. A University of Kentucky Wildcats ornament. I bought this at wal-mart, can’t remember when, but probably like ‘03 since I was new to North Carolina and felt an extra need to represent my team in hostile territory
3. *This is a ball from the LPBC Lottie Moon Fundraiser 2008.  It was given in my honor by my Pastor and his wife.  It is made of actual glass
4. *This is a University of Kentucky candy cane.  It is one of a set of 4 (But I couldn’t stand to put all 4 of them on the tree that was just too much ornament adding) given to me by Wes & Kristi who said that their son, Carson  picked it out.
5. This is a glittery snowflake.  I’m not sure who, but somebody at Mexico Baptist Church gave me this. I lean towards thinking it is from Sandra Belt and it came in a card or something.
6. The original blue ball. (made of actual glass) This would have been 1996.
7. This is the tassel from my college graduation in ‘01. I was really proud of this since it took me 13 semesters to actually graduate from college.
8. A little wooden snowman with my name on it. A Couple of my former students, Kristen and Melissa, gave this to me I’m guessing it was ‘01.
9. This is a ball from the LaGrange Park RAs. It was part of a Lottie Moon fundraiser in ‘05. The RAs were placing these in honor or memory of someone for $4. Mine says “In honor of Jesus,” I thought it fitting since it was Christmas
10. This is a slightly used fishing bobber, complete with weights and an actual hook to hang it. It says 80¢ on the side.  I added this one myself in ‘04.
11. This is the tassel from my seminary graduation cap. I got this in December ‘06 when I graduated seminary. This is all that remains from my regalia rental fee of $80, so I’m definitely going to hang on to it.
12. 3 This is a snowman with a jingle bell built in.  Holding a sign that says, “Jesus loves you snow much.”  I got it at the Cumberland Beatitude house on our work day December 2007.
13. This is the ornament that started my one ornament per year method.  The one Kristi gave me in Christmas 1996 but it made the tree the next year, so we’ll call it ‘97

Now it's time for your input What do I do?

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The Story of My Christmas Tree

When Jarred and I were little kids, we had a 3 foot Christmas tree in our room.

As an alleged adult, approximately age 21, I got custody of that tree. Back then I lived with Jason Roland in an apartment that we now refer to as Forest Dump. (btw - Check out that link and read some of the reviews, they are hilarious) I put up the tree and its strand of 50 lights but there were no ornaments for it. Not sure whose idea it was, but we decided to put a tin-foil ball (see 1 in the picture below) on top of the tree in place of a star. After a couple of weeks we were at a UK BSU family group Christmas party, which was at the home of Kristi and April. They felt pity on my little tree and gave me a single ornament from theirs. It was a blue ball, (11) and that year it was the only ornament on the tree.

I decided that having only one ornament was funny so I was going to leave it that way. But then Kristi gave me a present that year which was an ornament, (8) so the next year it had two ornaments. My blog readers are smart…I think you can see where this is going. Each year I added one ornament. Although I don't remember it, apparently I skipped a year or two in there, because I only have 10 ornaments now and the one from Kristi is dated 1996. In 2005, since I was living in a full-size house like an adult, I went out and got me a 6.5 foot pre-lit tree like an adult would have. But I held strong to my one ornament per year rule. What you see below is a picture of my tree now (2008) in all of its 10 ornament glory. Below the picture is a key telling where I got each of the ornaments. Enjoy, and if you gave me one of them…Thanks :)

1 Is the famous tin-foil ball. I added a couple of layers to it when I moved up to the full sized tree.  Also I stuck a nail with a red ribbon in it.  We got the nail/ribbon at church a few years back to remind us about Christ's sacrifice.

2 A little wooden snowman with my name on it. A Couple of my former students, Kristen and Melissa, gave this to me I'm guessing it was '01.

3 This is a snowman with a jingle bell built in.  Holding a sign that says, "Jesus loves you snow much."  I got it at the Cumberland Beatitude house on our work day last December.

4 A University of Kentucky Wildcats ornament. I bought this at wal-mart, can't remember when, but probably like '03 since I was new to North Carolina and felt an extra need to represent my team in hostile territory

5 This is the tassel from my college graduation in '01. I was really proud of this since it took me 13 semesters to actually graduate from college.

6 This is a glittery snowflake.  I'm not sure who, but somebody at Mexico Baptist Church gave me this. I lean towards thinking it is from Sandra Belt and it came in a card or something.

7 This is a slightly used fishing bobber, complete with weights and an actual hook to hang it. It says 80¢ on the side.  I added this one myself in '04.

8 This is ornament number 2 from above.  The one Kristi gave me in Christmas 1996 but it made the tree the next year, so we'll call it '97

9 This is the tassel from my seminary graduation cap. I got this in December '06 when I graduated seminary. This is all that remains from my regalia rental fee of $80, so I'm definitely going to hang on to it.

10 This is a ball from the LaGrange Park RAs. It was part of a Lottie Moon fundraiser in '05. The RAs were placing these in honor or memory of someone for $4. Mine says "In honor of Jesus," I thought it fitting since it was Christmas

11 The original blue ball. (made of actual glass) This would have been 1996.

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