“Sweet Christmas Earrings are a way to keep memories alive” – Anonymous (modified by Nancy Hancock-Cullen)
Ruth Ann Lewis Cullen loved Christmas. I mean loved it. She was one of those people who, if allowed to, would have a Christmas tree up all year, one of her favorite boutique stores nearby, Kathyies Import Chalet, had a perpetual Christmas tree. We visited there regularly.
Unlike my family, who had fun with an eye on the practical, there was nothing practical about how Ruth celebrated Christmas. It was about fun, smiles, lots of sugar, and pure joy. Budgets, needs, healthy eating, and “it’s not good for you”, were forbidden topics when it came to Ch
ristmas.
Although I appreciate and value the prudence I inherited from my side of the family, I learned a lot from Ruth Ann. To accommodate both sides, we save all year with a budget line item: Christmas, then we have fun!
Sweet Christmas Earrings
One tradition I miss after Ruth’s passing is the annual influx of Sweet Christmas Earrings. Now, this is an item I would never purchase for myself. In fact
, when these items first began arriving with “for your Christmas stocking” instructions, my practical side responded with: “what would I need with these?” thought.
The answer? “For pure fun”! Nothing more, nothing less. After a few seasons, I had enough of these “silly” baubles to wear a different pair almost every day of the season. So now, each year, the day after Thanksgiving I pull out my box of Sweet Christmas Earrings to wear each day.
They remind me of the childlike joy Ruth carried with her wherever she went. My initial lessons on Joy, and all it does, come from my mother-in-law. Lessons I continue to learn.
Capture Your Holiday Stories
Even humble objects like Sweet Christmas Earrings have a story to tell. These small, fun objects remind me of an important lesson: Childlike joy which is a sibling to faith, hope, love, and all the rest. My hope is when it is time to pass these Christmas earrings on, that the joy lessons go with them.
What wonderful stories lie behind the objects that surround you this Christmas? Take a moment, tell someone, write it down and tuck it away with the object. Please share a few words in the comments below.
❤