Let's Start In On The Trees!

Greetings to all!  It's me, Mags.  Cam and I realized we hadn't really shown you our Christmas trees yet this year, so I thought I'd start us off today!

"Hi.  I'm being very good.  Are you watching, Santa?!?"

I thought we'd start with the tree to my right there - your left.  The Patriotic Tree!

You caught a sneak peak in the background of a couple pix earlier this Christmas season, but I thought I'd do some close-ups!

Topping the tree - a Bald Eagle in a holly wreath and one of Dad's old brass uniform buttons

As I understand it, back in the mid-1800s, the Army wives out here on the frontier didn't have many things they could decorate their trees with! One of their customs was to loop pretty ribbons through the shanks of the brass buttons the men wore on their uniforms and tie them to their Christmas trees!! Mom loves that tradition and continues it today!

The sled on the left was given to Mom during Desert Shield/Desert Storm 
by the "Command Group" ladies of the 1st Infantry Division.  
Dad had already deployed by Christmas.  
The ornament on the right was another gift from a friend!

The snowman was a gift to great-brother Zimmie from our dear friend Goose;
Mom made the tree cut-out from one of Dad's old uniforms and some batting;
another brass uniform button.

An ornament Mom made in Korea for some of the guys who worked for Dad 
when they came to her house in Seoul for dinner

A 2nd Infantry Division angel sits at the bottom of the tree; 
she was made by the general officers' wives in 2ID 
and was a gift to Mom in Korea

And last, but by no means least ...

One of our grandfathers brass uniform buttons from when he was a cadet at West Point

Everything on the tree holds such special memories and helps us to remember our troops all over the world, many of whom will not be home for Christmas.  Please remember to say a prayer for them!

Thanks for taking a look at our Patriotic Tree with us!

Yours sincerely,
Margaret Thatcher