The Creamy-white Christmas Tree with Missing Items

Silvery white on a Christmas Tree

The White Tree: glass icicles, mercury glass pinecones, handmade paper doll ornaments, and blown glass.

 

Seen from outside the window.

     For at least five years, our main live tree has been an all-white tree: white lights, pearl bead garlands, creamy white bulbs (plus golden and silver) mercury glass ornaments, blown glass clip-on birds and swans, silvery pine cones, glass icicles, and an all white Nicol Sayre angel decked in vintage lace.  It has been such a pleasure to stick strictly to a narrow theme (white) while still collecting ornaments that were sentimental or special for some reason (I have gilded fruit purchased on a birthday trip to Biltmore, a Nicol Sayre fairy purchased by my sister while we vacationed in Leavenworth, Washington, etc, etc

       However, it was only after saving the main tree for last and as I began to decorate it that I realized that I am missing the majority of my white ornaments.  Whether they are still packed in a box at my parent's home (when I moved home from South Carolina, I temporarily stored items there before moving them into storage) or sitting somewhere unknown, they are not going to be enjoyed this year. 
       So, our white tree is a simple, sparser tree than previous years and I do feel a twinge of sadness that my fairy is missing, my grand white swans with their fragile blown glass necks are missing, my dozens upon dozens of antique bulbs are missing, my little bulb with the snowy Christmas scene inside is missing, my fabulous silvery reindeer with its hairy wool and folk antlers is missing... 


       But strangely, it is only a small twinge which is a little surprising and yet not at all surprising.  Somehow, with all the blessings I and my family have, how in the world could some little baubles be all that important?  Yes, I do hope they appear because they did have sentimental value as well as being beautiful, but, the joy of my two girls, a new home, so very many lovely items, and the fact that all of my family is cancer-free these days sort of eclipses any regret for something that is simply a material possession.  And I am greatly relieved because I always worry that I like "things" and "beauty" more than I should.  Now, I am simply thankful for the luxurious plenty that I have: especially family and my two little sugarplums.