Violet Myers photo shirt
I don’t leave everything up, but I do leave our tree up. All the Violet Myers photo shirt have a special meaning, and we like to look at them, talk about them, and remember the times associated with each one. Having that glittery, softly lit beauty in the front room just gives our house some cheer in the bleak days of winter. Also, we always get a live tree, and I can’t bear to trash it until it completely dries out. It takes a long time to decorate, so all that work seems more worth it if the tree stays up a long time. One year, I left it up until St. Patrick’s Day. Usually, though, it stays up until mid- to late February. As long as it looks fresh and healthy, I leave it up. I started this tradition about 6 years ago when we had an especially beautiful tree. The day after New Year’s Day as I was about to start the take-down, I remarked that I hated to do it because the tree was so pretty. My husband said, “Just leave it up, then, if it makes you happy.” So I did. We have three sons, and I like to think they will have memories of this tradition.

Violet Myers photo shirt
Setting up the tree, it always fell over once or twice. Taking the decorations out of the Violet Myers photo shirt to trim the tree was always fun and Tracy would always be lifted up to put the star or Angel at the top of the tree. Dad would pretend she was flying up like an Angel as he lifted her. When we were decorating the tree in our teens, Tracy would tease dad and say, “Ok dad, lift me up.” Mom always liked it when we would hang the decorations we made in school. One of us kids were always a designated Santa who would hand the gifts out to the others just like on the show. Thank God we had no Aunt Clara to give us bunny suits to wear. We had no uncles or aunts at all. Mom and dad were only children. A Christmas Story has been a staple movie for my family to watch every year. It’s warm and homey and just like the Christmases we had. I even wanted a Red Ryder rifle when I was nine.

