I am not sure when or how it began, but sometime in the 1980s my good friend Alan (The Asheboro Flash) Brown began giving my parents a Christmas ornament each year. These were not you average ornaments. They were meant to be a tacky, a kind of "trailer trash" for the tree. Above you can see "Hitchhiking Santa" and his trailer. Other great gifts included a Christmas pelican and a strange little fuzzy man known as Illmar Dammit. My parents looked forward each year to seeing what AB would come up with, and he never disappointed. This year, for the very first time, the remaining trailer trash ornaments are hanging on our tree for the world to see. Some are gone now; Illmar was eaten by a critter in my parent's garage. But the spirit of these ornaments lives on!
A couple of final thoughts about our tree. I have given you 5 stories this week, but the fact is nearly every ornament has story and a history. That is part of what makes our tree (and yours) so special each year. And there is one final Jones family tradition that dates back to my childhood. Each and every year after the last ornament is hung and the lights are on, we stand back and admire the tree as a family, and someone will say, "This is the prettiest tree ever!" And you know what...it is. Every single time. Thanks for sharing in our holiday traditions.
Merry Christmas, one and all!
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