Silver Bells

I remember the first year my family put up two Christmas Trees.  The company my Dad worked for was closing and they told him he could have the company’s artificial Christmas tree if he wanted it.  So, he brought it home with some ornaments that included some silver bells.  I was fascinated with the idea of having not one, but TWO Christmas Trees.  I remember my mom being so happy to have our original tree in our den and this “fancy” new tree with the silver bells in our living room.

I believe it was at that moment that my love affair with all things Christmas began.  Each year my mom added new musical ornaments to our “Musical Christmas Tree”.  I still have three Music Sheet ornaments from that original Music Tree.  Every year when I place them on my tree I remember how happy my mom and I were that year when we started the tradition of having more than one Christmas tree.

I would give anything to have those silver bells from over 40 years ago, so when I saw Silver Bells at our Hobby Lobby I simply knew I had to have them!  They were not just any silver bells mind you, but beautiful, glittery, shiny silver bells!  I knew they would look perfect on my new flocked tree in our Master Bedroom.  As usual, when I am at Hobby Lobby I tend to go overboard on decorations.

Of course, I had to have the bells in gold as well as silver.  Along with the smaller versions of silver and gold bells, rhinestone garland, champagne glitter churches, icicles, mercury glass pine cones, champagne reindeer, and well you get the picture…. I “needed” a lot of stuff!

I purchased my flocked tree from Michael’s this year.  After fluffing the tree, I added the rhinestone garland (Hobby Lobby) and then the silver bead garland (from Target many years ago).  I add my garland first. If you add it last, the garland will sometimes hit the glass ornaments and shatter them.  Then I go to my tree topper.  On this tree, I used a sheer champagne colored bow that I made and I used three of the large silver bells instead of a star.

Once the topper and garlands are done you start with your largest ornaments first.  Spacing them out within your tree.  I placed the large silver mercury glass balls on first (they are sort of clear so you may have to look close!)  Then I went to the next largest ornaments which were my churches.

I continued largest to smallest till I added some very tiny silver glass pine cones.  Once all my ornaments are on I love to add berries or some type of “sprigs” into the dark empty places on the tree.  I used a gold, beige and champagne berry branch.  My skirt is simply two rolls of Deco Mesh.  I twist the mesh around and around in a swirl before I stuff it under my tree.  I do not cut it. I simply unroll and shove it under there!

I love that this tree takes me back to when I first fell in love with decorating for Christmas.  It reminds me of how excited and happy my mother and I were over the whole idea of having two (gasp) Christmas Trees!  Every time I see this tree it makes me grateful for that long ago day…… when my dad brought into the house that artificial tree and those……  Silver Bells.

“I heard the bells on Christmas day

Their old familiar carols play

And mild and sweet their songs repeat

Of peace on earth good will to men”