The Nature Tree

I started collecting ornaments for our Christmas tree at least 15 years ago. After being subjected for years to the same ole type of tree with bows, ribbons, and balls, I really wanted to have an unusual or more natural tree. I think volunteering at Wildlife Rescue in Alabama gave me the idea. For several years, it was the duty of myself and my friend Fara to help put up the 20 foot tall tree at the wildlife center. We decorated it with pine cones, nests, birds, and basically anything nature related. It ended up looking like an homage to mother nature and I liked that.

I started collecting these animal ornaments at a place called The Discovery Store in Alabama. Each year they would put out a different collection of animals. I have an African collection (complete with a hippo, tigers, leopards, giraffes, elephants, etc). I also have a sea life collection (fish, star fish, sea horses, dolphins, turtles, whales, etc). Also there is a collection of metal ornaments, bristle animals, and glass ones. Sara particularly likes the stuffed ornaments (Garfield, Odie, and the Peanuts characters) which haven't actually made it onto the tree because she wanted to play with them. Probably the strangest animals I have on the tree are a cobra, anteater, walrus, and a peacock.

The best part is that Dan and I collect National park ornaments too and we've added many of those to the tree over the time that we've known each other. For example we have Glacier, Yellowstone, Grand Tetons, Zion, Cannon Beach Oregon, and I even have one from Smoky Mountain National park.

I'm so glad to see the ornaments every year and to relive the memories from the places that I got them. It's been really fun this year to see Sara get excited about them as well.