Saturday, October 07, 2017
Just A Cheap Old Christmas Star...
By Donovan Baldwin
Christmas is still a few months away, but, I was thinking about it today. I found an old decoration today.
It's a plain star, cut out of some unknown metal, and painted white. The paint is worn and dull, and slightly chipped in a place or two. The points of the star are very sharp and could injure a child.
Such a decoration could not be sold, or even allowed, today.
I know how sharp the points are because I've been poked by them innumerable times over the last 72 years.
My parents were newly married in the early 1940's and did not have much money> My father wanted to decorate a Christmas tree.
The war was on, and metal was at a premium. Somehow, he and a friend got some small pieces of scrap metal and cut out stars and painted them white.
Simple decorations for a new family with a cheap tree.
Still, to little kids, decorations just at pretty as "store bought", and, over the years, even more sentimental.
I only have one of those stars left. I think my sister has another.
I've forgotten details about a lot of Christmases over the years, but, I remember the pointy, poking, cheap white stars my dad made for his new family.
He's gone over 30 years now, but, at least, one star's still going strong.
That's what love does. It keeps on going. Not always big or fancy, it lasts.
It's a plain star, cut out of some unknown metal, and painted white. The paint is worn and dull, and slightly chipped in a place or two. The points of the star are very sharp and could injure a child.
Such a decoration could not be sold, or even allowed, today.
I know how sharp the points are because I've been poked by them innumerable times over the last 72 years.
My parents were newly married in the early 1940's and did not have much money> My father wanted to decorate a Christmas tree.
The war was on, and metal was at a premium. Somehow, he and a friend got some small pieces of scrap metal and cut out stars and painted them white.
Simple decorations for a new family with a cheap tree.
Still, to little kids, decorations just at pretty as "store bought", and, over the years, even more sentimental.
I only have one of those stars left. I think my sister has another.
I've forgotten details about a lot of Christmases over the years, but, I remember the pointy, poking, cheap white stars my dad made for his new family.
He's gone over 30 years now, but, at least, one star's still going strong.
That's what love does. It keeps on going. Not always big or fancy, it lasts.
Labels: Christmas, Christmas decorations, donovan baldwin, memories
