Fun Monday #45- A Christmas Tree Ornament

Katabug is hosting today's Fun Monday. She's being very seasonable with her choice of topics. I look forward to some wonderful posts today.

The rules were: In the spirit of the season I would like to see your favorite Christmas tree ornament. Not to be confused with the WHOLE tree. I want you to zoom in and show me one or a few(you know I can't choose just one!) of your favorite ornaments. If you don't decorate a tree, show me your menorah or dreidel, Kinara, or Yule Log. I want to see your favorite decoration for this holiday season.


When I was a little girl (in the 50's) my favorite Christmas Tree ornament was a blown glass raspberry. My mom had a special attachment to it. Every year she packed it away with much care and concern.

When she died 14 years ago, my eldest brother claimed it and keeps it wrapped securely with his Christmas decorations. (They were still in storage at his house in North Central California and I was unable to get a picture of it in time for this post.)

This picture was downloaded from Elizabethan Christmas. There are many more blown glass unique and exquisite Christmas ornaments on the website. The raspberry in this picture is of similar quality to Mom's, but with leaves. After speaking with siblings today, I still don't know the origin of mom's glass ornament. A sister remembers a blown glass pineapple that once dangled from the home grown fir tree that the two eldest brothers cut down in the "woods." A brother remembered a golden ornament that could have been the pineapple, or maybe an orange or an apple. It must have broken as any others were that may have one time completed the set. The raspberry is very fragile.

I don't know why I never asked mom how she came to own them. There never was much money for luxuries and dad opposed spending it on Christmas. I think he may have been one of the original Bah Hum Buggers.

In my growing years, the little glass raspberry was a special tradition in our simple and frugal holiday celebration.

(Having discovered the web site linked above, I may just decide to do some shopping. Did I mention that I already have a glass pickle ornament?)

Click here to see who else signed up with Lady K to share their ornament memories or dreams.

Have a Fun Monday!!!!

Comments

Sandy said…
My mom had a small glass mushroom that looked to be the same vintage...my oldest sister has custody of them, I think.
Peter said…
Ah the family heirlooms are surfacing now.
Robinella said…
Thanks for the link. I love glass ornaments and as I wrote on my post, I'm starting a collection.
my4kids said…
Those are cute ornaments. I will check some out but I don't think I'm going to participate though to much going on right now.
willowtree said…
Mmmm, I fee like a kiwifruit now.

Hey did you know that they couldn't give those bastards away until some bright spark came up with the idea to change their name from Chinese gooseberries?
Molly said…
The glass raspberry is beautiful. I remember that my parents had some glass ornaments. Perhaps, my older sister has them. I will have to ask.
Gattina said…
My parents only had these glass ornaments there was nothing else, lol ! These ornaments are very commun in Germany. Maybe your Mother got it from there through somebody of German origin. I had them too but replaced the glass once with plastic once because of the cats.
Beckie said…
Your memorable ornament is very elegant compared to mine.

The comment you left on my post made me laugh!
Kila said…
What a special memory. I hadn't seen one like that before. Thanks for sharing.
Kaytabug said…
Thanks for sharing the beautiful memory. I have a pickle too! None of my glass ornaments go up due to the boys and cats and dogs!
Sayre said…
I don't think my mom has any glass ornaments anymore. Between me and my five brothers - I'm sure a lot of damage was done. Thanks for the link - I may have to do a little replacing for her!
laurie said…
those blown glass ornaments are stunning. i love the raspberry.

we have a bunch of glass birds and houses and fruit that we got as wedding presents. (and, of course, a leering mutant monkey head.)

they're terrific.
Judypatooote said…
Don't ya just wish you could gather up all those old ornaments.. they only seem special to you as you get older....not when your a young mother... and the pickle I bought my daughters one years ago, because it's an old German custom to hide the pickle, and who ever finds it first gets an extra treat....my daughter linda hides it every year, and Christopher is the winner every year.....LOL judy
ChrisB said…
How lovely that the glass raspberry is still in the family. I was growing up around the same time, but have only managed to save a few plastic ornaments mores the pity.
Helene said…
how pretty! I love old ornaments... they have so much mystery... I even like getting them at thrift shops... makes me wonder what stories they could tell... Glass pickle eh!?!?!? lol
Jill said…
isn't it nice to have something handed down and remember it each year? its a pity you dont have it yourself...
kitten said…
How beautiful! Never saw them in an ornament before. As far as my applesauce/cinnamon ornaments I make them fresh every year. You can still smell them after a year, but not as strong. As far as how long the fresh, not sure. I do know that my nieces love coming over through the holidays because they like the smell of my house from my ornaments.
Unknown said…
You know, I wanted to start the pickle tradition this year but don't know where to find a pickle.

It would be interesting to know how your mom came upon her fruit ornaments.
Robin said…
I think you DO need to go shopping...give Karmyn, Amanda and daughter-who-doesn't-blog something to fight over "one day".

But in the meantime, don't you think you'd enjoy something special? It won't be your mom's, of course, but it would give you reason to remember :).

Even though I don't have any of this kind of ornament, I think they're beautiful!

Robin @ PENSIEVE
It's amazing to me that something glass and that delicate looking has survived through the years. I've never seen one like it.
Anonymous said…
I'm really enjoying reading all the memories attached to everyone's favorite ornaments!

nikki
Jenni said…
What special Christmas memories! We were also pretty poor when I was a kid and my mom was always somewhere between how your mom sounds and how you've described your dad. I think it depressed her not being able to do more for us, but it was all those little things that didn't cost anything that really meant the most to me. I'd like to write a post or two about it, but my mom reads my blog. I don't know if it would make her happy or sad to read what I would say. Really it would just depend on her mood that day! So, though I'd love to write about it, I'm not sure I will.
Debs said…
Those are pretty. The raspberry sounds just beautiful. :)


BTW Thanks for the ecard. You put the P in Happy. I needed a chuckle. :D
Junebug said…
I still haven't found my pickle ornament. I wish you had the raspberry ornament of your mother.
Anonymous said…
I think I vaguely remember seeing it on her tree.

Dreaming What Ifs...
Unknown said…
I remember my grandmother had the glass pineapple one. It was high up top next to the star, and caught my eye, because it was so delicate and golden.

Your mom's raspberry one, sounds very beautiful.

Christine@AreWeThereYetMom
BarnGoddess said…
my mother had a glass photo of me and my 1st pony(circket) that was her favorite. Mu Father still hangs it on his tree :)

This is a great post. Will your brother ever part with the rasberry?????

a pickle? how COOL! we LOVE LOVE pickles around here. I may need to check them out online too.

My favorite ornament is a stoneware horse that was fashioned after Scooter when I was about 19 yo. He was a youngster back then! Ilove seeing it over the Holidays, he and I were a horse and rider to be reckoned with in our younger days....
Heather said…
The best thing about putting up the tree: putting up the memories.
Each ornament has a memory. Oh! Mom and Dad gave me this when I was twelve and we first moved to Texas. Or, I wonder what happened to that roommate. She gave me this one, you know.
Kim said…
Those glass ornaments are just gorgeous. My mother had some red glass ornaments that were sort of a teardrop shape. A set of six. The last time I remember seeing them at Christmas, we were down to three or maybe four.
Bren said…
Very pretty ornaments! I think you should buy your own rasberry!
Those are so original, I love the kiwi & raspberry - I can't pick a fav.
Unknown said…
I'm so glad the ornament is still in the family. I have always loved the Christmas pickle tradition. Do you do it every year?
is there a tradition with pickles that i dont know about?? i feel so out of the loop here!

lovely story, tho, pamela!
Jo Beaufoix said…
That is so pretty. I've never seen anything like it. :D
Kellan said…
I love your beautiful fruit heirloom ornaments! I am Kellan, nice to meet you.
daddy d said…
Very nice glass ornaments. I don't remember ones like your, except plain round ones.
Cynthia said…
I have a pickle, also.

I scrolled down and am going to have to let dinner cook by itself. I have to read the rest of your Gram stories. I am in tears, they are WONDERFUL!
Joy T. said…
Original "Bah Hum Buggers" LOLOL The glass fruit look gorgeous though, I might have to check out the link to see what other goodies they have. A nice memory for sure about the raspberry. It's probably something your mom never even thought you'd think about all these years later.
Sauntering Soul said…
I've never seen ornaments like those. They're fabulous!
Alix said…
Those ornaments are beautiful, I'll have to get one!
In answer to your Q on my blog I'm not sure about the other monuments but the White House issues a different ornament each year, mine is 2002 as I didn't like this years!
Amanda said…
The blow glass ornaments are so pretty. I like the look of that kiwi!
Susan in va said…
How pretty! I've never seen anything like them! The raspberry is my favorite. If my husband would go for it, I'd have a pink tree ;)
Shelby said…
I like the raspberry too! :)
Alison said…
They are beautiful. My mom has some that are similar. Thanks for the comment on my blog...I am enjoying my first FM. I also enjoyed reading your blog...I will come back for more.
Attie said…
Those are the neatest ones I have ever seen!! how sute and quaint!!!
Thanks for stopping by!!! this has been so much fun!!!
Melissa said…
hello! I'm having an ornament swap if you'd like to join in on the Christmas fun! The details are at my blog. Please pass the word along to your bloggin' friends as I don't know a lot of ppl here in blog land! thanks! Merry Christmas!
Christy Woolum said…
My mom has a pickle ornament that is hidden for a prize each year. The rasberry ornament is very unique.
Jeanette said…
Hi Pamela., beautiful glass ornaments, I had some just like those but in shifting I think they got misplaced never too been seen again, that was 18 years ago...
Swampwitch said…
Have you seen Christopher Radko's fruit collection?
Tiggerlane said…
Those are rare, indeed...makes me think I should be on Ebay, looking out for them. Thanks for sharing - you always have such heartfelt posts!
DesLily said…
wow, how interesting! I can honestly say I've never seen anything like that! Do you know if there is a tradition for the fruit ornaments?
Mary said…
Very pretty! I have always loved glass ornaments but my hubby doesn't. it's a good thing though because my 1 yr old cat would have broken them all by now anyway. ;)
Susie Q said…
Your ornaments are so beautiful but I especially love the memories that go with them. I am so enjoying catching up with you and reading through all of your memories...you just have a way with words dear heart.

Hugs,
Sue
Debbie said…
Glass ornaments are goregeous. Love the rasberry.
Robocop said…
I Like the berry ornament.
Anonymous said…
Those are so cute! Baby Bug loves bananas! I bet she would try to eat it! LOL!

Kailani
An Island Life
Hootin Anni said…
I think these are just too cute. I love the kiwi especially.

It's been a hectic week for me, so I'm late getting around to visiting, but I just had to drop by to see your ornaments.
theotherbear said…
I want one of those kiwi fruits!!!!
Gattina said…
Re your comment, my grandma used to say "he just had to put his slippers under the bed" I don't know what she did to only have 2 daughters, lol !
Kelly Curtis said…
Those are gorgeous! They look like something I'd break within a few minutes of looking at them;))

Hey, I'm Linking for Dollars again this year for St. Jude. I'd love it if you could join up!
Anonymous said…
They're beautiful. I've never seen anything like them. :)

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