Ornaments

In yesterday's post, I mentioned that I thought it was important to purchase something in the places one visits.  Those souvenirs can spark memories of good times and exciting adventures.  I have long practiced what I preach.  Whenever I travel, I try to purchase a Christmas tree ornament to commemorate the trip.  Granted, sometimes I forget (as I did with the recent California road trip with my son), but my Christmas tree will attest to most of the places I've been.

And yes, we'll call it a Christmas tree, though it's a pretty secular one.  (It's also an artificial one.)  Then again, I don't think Baby Jesus had a Christmas tree, real or artificial, so we're all okay here.

When decorating the tree this year, I took stock of the places I've been.  My tree represents 22 cities/states, 14 countries, five continents, and three islands.  Only four of these I have not visited; they were among Jenna's contributions.

Represented here are Italy, Ireland, New Zealand, Jamaica, and Herrington Harbor, Maryland.  Although I have never been to New Zealand, I have strong memories of the other places.  Italy, which I visited with my husband in 2000, was my first foray abroad.  Herrington Harbor was the first trip I took with my kids after my husband died.  Katrina and I visited Ireland together on a fabulous bus tour.  And Jamaica was one of our "run away from Christmas" vacations in those early years after Pete died.  Jenna has been to New Zealand twice.  Perhaps there's still time for me to get there?

Pawleys Island is a heart spot.  Our family spent two spring vacations there, and years later, I took the kids there along with my girlfriends and their families.  It is still a place that speaks to me, and I hope that I can get there again someday.  So many places, so little time.  It is always a question of whether to return to beloved places or venture into new territory.  I seem to always struggle with this.

And this is my most recent ornament.  This one, from Iceland, depicts one of their several Santa Clauses.  I was drawn to him because of his designation:  Window Peeper.  (I have endured window peepers in my life.  Innocuous though they were, they were still disconcerting.  Perhaps it's nice to think of a Santa Claus who's a Peeping Tom, looking to see if the children are behaving?)

And there he is, peeping out from a window in my tree.  Perhaps he is looking out at all the places I've been.  Or maybe he's telling me Stay home!  Home is where the heart is!  I think I prefer both.  I can fall in love with the places I've been, but I will always be in love with the place I call Home.