Little Treasures from Brothers!

The Little Bayou House is decorated from top to bottom with all sorts of fantastical things.  The Christmas Season has become more of time of remembrance for me than the eager anticipation of what is to come.  I find myself cherishing things from long ago more than any new items that I purchase as decorations.  It is true that I find all decorations for the season beautiful and wish at times that the house could stay adorned with all of the reds and greens but alas, that would soon grow to be a bit tiring.  This year, things are a bit more rustic and a bit more nostalgic than years past.  I pulled things like antique toys from their hiding places in closets and put them out under the Christmas trees.  Oil lanterns, rope garlands and even burlap made their way into the decorating theme this year.

Michael helped me to gather some fresh cedar and pine branches today.  These have been placed on shelves and the mantles.  Pine cones and red berries fill in the areas nicely and add a cheery touch.  In one of the windows of the dining room, I placed pine branches and red and green fairy lamps.  In this window, there are three shelves.  When I was poking the pine on the top shelf, I picked up a small oil lamp to be placed along with the pine.  A memories started flooding back from days of my childhood.  This small lamp was a gift from my oldest brother when I was only about seven years old.  Money was hard to come by and we, as kids, had to earn pennies to spend on our gifts for family members.  Pecans, Dogwood berries and Red Bud seeds were all picked and sold.  Our share being a penny a pound.  That did not add up very quickly but if we worked hard, we could save at least a dollar or two!  The little lamp probably only cost him a few nickels..he got one for me and one for my sister.  It mattered not that the lamp was inexpensive..I loved it.  I still do.  I have both of the little lamps..hers and mine.  They sit on the shelf each year as a reminder of a happy childhood.

Next to the little lamps, sits another gift that I received about the same year.  My youngest brother (who is just a bit older than me) gave me a little Christmas elf.  This has to be the cutest elf ever made! Recently, I have seen a lot of these as they have now become popular again.  None are as cute as mine!  When my brother gave me this, I can remember falling in love!  My Little Elf never left my side!  I took him everywhere!  When it came time to pack away the Christmas decorations, I cried for Mom to let me keep Little Elf.  She relented and the elf lived with me all year round!  It is a wonder that it is not ragged and torn to bits but I suppose I handled it with love as it is still relatively intact.  It is a bit grubby and a lot faded but not so much that I could ever discard it!   Even though I came in possession of a dozen or so other little elves over the years, this one is still a favorite.  Even Michael told me earlier that this was always his favorite as well. Mom used to hide the elves all over her house when my kids were small.  Each time we would visit Mom and Pop, (which was almost daily!), the kids delighted in finding the elves!  They never knew just where they would find them!  Sometimes an elf was perched on a picture frame while another might be hiding on the piano.  Mom and Dad enjoyed not only hiding the elves but watching the kids hunt for them!  Simple games...good times.  Now the little elves peep from the branches of the Christmas Trees or hide among the garland at my house...and Little Elf is still my favorite!  hehe...And those two brothers are favorites!