Colleen of Silver Threading is hosting Christmas Trees Around the World and I’ve decided to join in. Be sure to click the Christmas Trees Around the World link above to go to Colleen’s blogsite and check out other entries.
What I remember most about Christmas, even more than the gorgeous Christmas trees, were the villages my family placed under the tree.
Here is a photo from 1967 of the village under our tree. My mother used some of the houses, sleigh and fence that was part of my grandmother’s village, as well as some newer houses my parents had purchased.
Of course, the torch was passed and I set up a village with the help of my children under our tree. This is from 1996
My children are grown and have villages under their own trees. I still do a village for my grandchildren to enjoy when they visit at Christmas. Our village for 2015.
Our Christmas trees have evolved over the years from short with few ornaments and lots of tinsel icicles to a beautiful tree laden with ornaments from vacations, gifts from our children, ornaments that were on my Dad’s tree when he was a child, and a few from my childhood trees.
For our first Christmas my Dad gave us a beautiful crèche that I still put out each year. Quite a few years ago I stopped putting it beneath our tree and now put it in a place of honor where it is more noticeable.
One can’t talk about Christmas trees without a mention of the ornaments, so I’ve included pictures of two ornaments that were passed down to my dad and eventually to me.
I hope you enjoyed a look at our Christmas trees through the years from top to bottom.
Thank you for stopping by.
A very Merry Christmas and a healthy
and happy New Year to each of you.
Wow! Nice post, Michelle. OS heart-warming to see so many different Christmas trees! 🙂
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Thanks. I love Christmas trees All the time spent decorating, and now Ir’s over. All the decorations are packed away until next year.
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You words remind me of a book I recently read: Fairy Extraordinary Christmas Story. In this book the decorations come alive and share their lives with other decorations… hehe… It was a really cute book!
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Oooooh, that sounds delightful. Thanks, I’m going to look for it. I love books about Christmas.
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I’m sure you’ll like it dear!
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Lovely Christmas trees!
Hope you had a lovely Christmas Michelle and wish you a wonderful new year !
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Thank you Damyanti. I hope your’s was equally so. Happy New Year.
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Lovely to see so many different ones – feeling very Christmassy now 😍🎉🎄🎄🎄🎄 happy Xmas x
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Merriest of Christmases to you and yours, Sacha.
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I love the village under your tree, Michelle, and the ornaments being passed down. What a lovely idea. Have a wonderful Christmas and a very happy and healthy 2016…hugs 🙂
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Thanks, Cathy. And a very Merry Christmas a happy, healthy New Year to you and yours. Hugs.
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Lovely pictures… I want to go and live in those little villages.. ahhhh 🙂
Just wish Christmas Day was really like them; I think we all want that, which is why they bring out the wishful child in us all!
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I agree, Terry, and yes they do. Merry Christmas! Hugs
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Thank you for sharing your Christmas trees through the years, Michelle. I haven’t heard of setting up a village beneath a Christmas tree before. What a wonderful tradition to be passed down through your family. I wish you and your family all the joys of the Christmas season, and best wishes for 2016.
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Thank you, Norah. Merry Christmas and a very happy New Year to you and yours. Hugs.
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Likewise! 🙂
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Beautiful. Thanks for sharing your history. Just lovely!
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Thank you for stopping by.
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How beautiful Michelle. Thanks for sharing your tradition (and Santa ornaments). Happy holidays. 🙂
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Thanks, Debby. Merry Christmas.
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Merry Christmas! 🙂
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How beautiful and what lovely memories. x
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Thank you.
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A perfect post for this time of the year… truly beautiful … Merry Christmas fro you and yours, dear Michelle.🎇🎄🎆
Sending love and best wishes. Aquileana
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Simply lovely! Merry Christmas, Michelle. May your world be blessed with joy and happiness in 2016!
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And the same right back to you. Hugs.
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Lovely. Wishing you and your fa. ❤
mily a wonderful Christmas and a year filled with abundant blessings, Michelle
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Thanks Bette. And the same back to you. Hugs!
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Here are few more trees from .y retirement home all were decorated by the residents with decrations they had with them.
https://idahobluebird50.wordpress.com/2015/12/18/christmas-trees-december-2015/
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Just beautiful! And the nicest part is all the memories that come with the photos. Merry Christmas to you and yours.
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Thank you! A Merry Christmas to you and yours, Amy. Hugs.
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When I was a child in Spain the tradition was to set a village, a nativity, and no tree (some were very elaborate and had ornaments and really old characters), but most people go for the tree now…
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I love Christmas trees, but the village and nativity have special meaning. I would love to see some photos from your childhood Christmas celebrations. You could join Colleen’s Christmas Trees Around the World. It is more about traditions than about trees.
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I love your Christmas village, and your tree. It is lovely having family traditions to continue and evolve. Thank you so much for sharing 🙂
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I am glad you enjoyed it. Thanks so much for stopping by.
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I did, it was beautiful. Thank you for coming over to my blog too, you are very welcome here 🙂
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Reblogged this on Silver Threading and commented:
Michelle, another dear friend of mine, has shared her Christmas Trees from the past and the present. Please check out her Christmas Village. It is glorious!!!
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Michelle, I loved your tree and village! I never thought to put mine under the tree!!!! I might have to become honorary family and borrow your family idea! This is just one of the most beautiful villages I have ever seen! Thank you so much for sharing your lovely tree and village. Breathtaking! ❤
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Thanks, Colleen. You are honorary family, my dear, so go with it. I am so steeped in tradition, much of which has come from my own childhood. It is so delightful to see my sons have carried on many of those same traditions. Merry Christmas to you and your’s. Hugs, my friend.
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Michelle, I love hearing that your Christmas traditions have transferred over to your sons. That is marvelous. I will be putting my village under the tree next year. I bet there will be two HUGE Pomeranians with their noses in everything! ❤
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When I set it up, I kept out some little figures for Josie to add when she came over. She was very particular about where she placed them. Each year I will give her a bigger role in setting it up. I also saved the box of candy canes for her to put on the tree. She did a good job spreading them all around the bottom of the tree. Already at two, she is taking part in traditions.
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That is so important. My kids have kept some of our traditions too. It is a sense of family! 💗💗💗
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Thank you for sharing Christmas memories and beautiful photos, Michelle. Merry Christmas! 😀
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Thank you and Merry Christmas, Tracy!
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This is wonderful Michelle. I have never even heard of the village beneath the tree before and love the idea. I also really like that you have ornaments passed down from your Dad – how lovely is that. I don’t have anything like that and am so envious. I wish you all the best for a very happy Christmas and healthy New Year. 🙂
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Thank you for your lovely comments. Best wishes for a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Hugs.
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So beautiful Michelle. I like the nativity scene your dad gave you as a gift.
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Thanks, Colline. It is even more precious to me as the years roll on. Dad rarely bought gifts as that fell under Mom’s responsibilities, but this one time he did. It is a wonderful memory.
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I’m glad you have such lovely memories, Michelle. The village is adorable. Wishing you all the wonders the Yuletide brings. Mega hugs.
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Thank you Teagan, and the same back to you, my dear friend.
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Love this!!!!
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Thanks so much, Reeca. I guess it’s pretty evident Christmas is my favorite time of year.
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Merry Christmas Michelle, and to your family too! 🙂
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Merry Christmas to you and your’s, dear Madhusmita. Hugs!
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🙂
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