One Christmas, Mom brought home a tiny silver tree that she would proudly display on the coffee table in the living room. My sister and I thought it was the most beautiful thing we’d ever seen. It had tinsel branches and was decorated with small metallic balls in pink, blue, green and gold. A magical sight to a couple of little girls!
Even though it stood out from the traditional evergreen and pine boughs decorating our house, this shimmering decoration became a fave.
Flash ahead to many years later.
I was in my early twenties and had just moved to Northern Ontario to work at a radio station. It was my first Christmas away from home, but Mom sent me a care package.
I began unpacking the parcel , pulling out the gifts from my family one by one.
Finally, at the very bottom of the box, lovingly wrapped in tissue and plastic was the tinsel Christmas tree. Everything became a shimmery blur as I wept tears of homesickness – and joy!
It’s now pretty lopsided and twisted, but that little artificial Christmas tree is still one of my most cherished decorations that I bring out every year. Do you have a special one you treasure?
This glistening beauty is a mini version modeled after retro Evergleam trees that were popular in the 1960s. Turning 60 in 2019, they have a whole history. You can read about it below.
Lucy even references the aluminum tree in “A Charlie Brown Christmas. ”
Many consider these mid-mod silver trees to be an icon of the Space Age. Mine is a symbol of childhood nostalgia and wonderful memories.
May your Christmas be merry, bright – and full of shining moments!
Kelli
Credit: Washington Post
