The "Absconded Ornament" Story

The missing ornament.

It was an ordinary day.  Carol just got off the phone after talking to our daughter, Brynn, who headed back to Maryland with her family a few hours ago after visiting with us over the Christmas Holiday.  Seems that her husband, Dave, leaned into the small Christmas tree that Carol has decorated next to our rear door and one of the ornaments became attached to his sweater.  Didn't realize it until after he got home and removed the sweater.  Neat little ornament that had prickly points all over it for you see it was made from the bottom of a tin can with the use of a tin snips.  This ornament as well as two others just like it, that still remain on the tree, were given to Carol by a resident of Lancashire Terrace where she worked for many years in the Retirement Community office.  The ornaments had been made sometime during the Great Depression when people, too poor to be able to buy decorations for their Christmas tree, would use the bottom of tin cans and craft them into ornamental stars.  

One of the residents of the retirement community, who no longer put up a Christmas tree, gave them to Carol as a gift one year.  After Carol told me about the ornament that Dave had inadvertently absconded, I checked out the remaining tin ornaments and realized how neat they really were.  Someone would have needed quite a bit of skill to make the ornaments using tin snips.  

The third metal ornament Carol was gifted.

Then she showed me a few of the other small ornaments and began recalling who had given them to us over the years.  Since Carol loves decorating during the holiday season, I gladly let her decorate both of the trees that we have in our "Beach House".  Because of this I have forgotten the history behind quite a few of the ornaments.  Had a great time going over the many hand-made ornaments with her and listening to whom may have given them to us and how they were made.  Naturally have to share them with you.  Hope you enjoy hearing and seeing them as much as we have enjoyed collecting them over the 47 plus years we have been married.  Enjoy!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

These two were made by Carol's friend Margaret.

A metal angel made by Carol's friend Debbie.

Two ornaments made by our friend and traveling companion Just Sue.

Our daughter Brynn made this ornament for us.

Paula, one of Carol's co-workers made these four ornaments for her. 

And finally, Jane, another co-worker made these 5 ornaments.