12 of the ornaments of Christmas


The star is a few degrees off, the garland sags here and there, and the tree itself is quite fake, but this is our Christmas tree. It's our family tree. It points to the real places we have been. I still get up early to watch it twinkle and I squint and squeeze lens flares out of the tiny lights.

Its branches bloom with new ornaments every year.



1988 was Christmas #2 for Shelagh and me. I confirmed this math with Shelagh earlier today.



We've been to San Francisco a few times. I wish I could find a bicycle bell that sounds like the cable cars saying hello.



This is the Bellingham ferry. We have not yet been on the Bellingham ferry. We found the ornament in Fairhaven after a night in the town square under blankets watching To Kill A Mockingbird with the boys and others munching popcorn. At one edge of the square was a booth where Democrats were registering voters. That was 2004.



Shelagh brought this disco ball ornament and a love for the Bee Gees to our quartet and tree-o.



Shelagh loves snow domes. And Banff National Park. And not going just to Louise.



I think this miniature nativity scene found us in a gift shop in San Juan Capistrano.



Uxmal, 2017, +32 degrees C. Sheryl was very kind to us on that adventure.



Québec, 2017, -18 degrees C. Daniel was very kind to us on that adventure.



Shelagh ordered this last year on Etsy. I love the birch trees. I can see how the bark curled. Like a scroll.



We brought this home from our visit to Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump.



Michael made this. Red cheeks, red earmuffs.



Alex made this. With help from Aslan.





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