My Christmas Tree story
I had just turned 5 that September of 1962.
The movie Pinocchio was back in the theaters.
My parents decided I was finally old enough to see a movie in a real theater.
I laughed, I cried, I was terrified, I was overjoyed.
Total thrill ride. (I also love rollercoasters.)
Considered one of Disney’s darkest films, Pinocchio was my perfect childhood movie.
The 1940s version is best, IMHO.
Being kidnapped and stuffed in a cage didn’t scare me.
The juvenile delinquent kids didn’t scare me. Becoming a donkey didn’t scare me.
Being eaten by a whale with your whole family was beyond my worst nightmares.
I loved that movie and would not stop talking about it.
It had everything —
a puppet, a talking cricket, a good fairy, singing, dancing, bad kids smoking and drinking
Just everything.
Christmas morning 1962, I received a blown glass ornament of Pinocchio.
OMG, OMG, OMG, OMG,OMG, OMG,OMG, OMG,OMG, OMG,OMG, OMG!
I insisted, as only a 5 yr old can, that the angel at the top of the Christmas tree be removed and replaced by my new Pinocchio ornament. And so it was.
It was perfect. The tree was perfect, and we felt blessed beside it.
As my Mom played the piano, we sang carols and danced together.
I didn’t know that would be my Mom’s last Christmas.
None of us did. She died of cancer in September of 1963.
Christmas of 1963 was quieter than before, but we went through all the motions.
Dad bought a tree. We got the decorations down from the attic as usual.
Then I opened the box with the Pinocchio ornament.
Everyone knew he belonged at the top of the tree.
We remembered his 1st Christmas,
yet knew the season and our family would continue on.
Pinocchio sat at the top of our family’s Christmas tree every year until the last of us finally grew up and the house was sold. I had his ornament with me when it broke and had to sadly tell all my siblings. The next year, I knitted Pinocchio ornaments for all of us to place on our own trees, wherever we chose.
Please tell us your story in a comment.
Funny, sad, wacky— It’s your story. Tell it proud.
I know that some holidays are traumatic for families, so you can share or just leave a heart, if you prefer. I’ve had some wonderful holidays and some terrible ones, too.
God bless us everyone.
💘 ❤️ 💓 💔 💕 💖 💗 💙 🤎 💚 💛 🖤 💜 🧡 🤍 💝 💞 💟 ❣️
1— Task: Pick your holiday
2— In your comment note the Traditional Activity vs Your Family’s Gig
PS
3— If you don’t like some traditions you grew up, this is the season to make some new ones with your chosen family.