Sunday, December 6, 2015


Dollar Tree Christmas

I have secured my hand-painted and Venecian glass ornaments in the attic until my grandchildren are older. I didn’t want the stress of watching over them, both the grandchildren at the tree and the ornaments themselves. This led me to devise a tree where the ornaments are kid friendly and could be handled.

So for the first tree, a trip to the Dollar Tree was in order. We found stuffed animals, slinkys, dinosaurs, toy monster trucks, and other colorful things to decorate that tree. This year, because the inventory is always changing at the Dollar Tree, I have found zoo animals, night vision goggles, slinkys, yoyos, little ponies, and water pistols shaped like dinosaurs.

This year’s tree is completely different, colorful, but different. It’s great to take the precious out of decorating. I won’t be guarding anything on the tree again.  I let them pick out a toy and take it with them every week that they stay with me. Everyone is happy, grandchildren, and grandma. They are not old enough to make things for my tree. I only have them one day on the weekend and don’t want to put them on a production schedule so this works for us.

My daughter’s childhood was spent making Christmas ornaments. Instead of gingerbread or cinnamon, my kitchen smelled like melting plastic, or latex paint. We were crafty and worked hard at Christmas. My son was less interested in decorating and more interested in the food so that’s another story all together.


I salute everyone with Christmas traditions. Carry on and have a wonderful holiday season.



Review of local Tulsa author.