Christmas Tree Tour: Anita Mae Draper

Anita loves Christmas as much as I do!
Our daughter just turned 30 and for those many years, we’ve tried to make our home a magical place at Christmas. We don’t want to detract from the real reason for this special holiday, but we want our kids to bring their children with them year after year to celebrate Christ’s birthday with us.

Our pre-lit Christmas tree looks like it’s divided in half but only because it has 5 reindeer pulling a waving Santa around and around on a railroad track. It’s one of the first things anyone from kids to Gramma want to check out when the tree is up.

But, it’s not the only thing that moves on the tree because we have 5 Ornamotions hooked up to the light strands. You push these little motors in place of a light bulb and it rotates the ornament. I just checked and this year’s rotations include an angel, a pair of caroling coyotes, Santa making a toy, and 2 carousels. Hmmm...I usually try to have one carousel but this year I let the kids have free rein with the tree...

We were married on Dec 20th and beneath our tree seemed very bare. I realized it was missing a tree skirt, something my parents never used. I rug hooked one in time for our next Christmas in 1977 and we’ve used it every year since.


My mother made my felt stocking when I was a child circa 1960. When I married, I made my husband one in green like my mother did for my brothers. I made a red one for my daughter in the late 70’s and found the felt to be thinner than my own. By the time our 2nd batch of kids were born in the 90’s, I needed to double the thickness to equal the felt my mom had used all those years ago. As well, Mom had lined our stockings with plastic in case juice leaked from the orange or the chocolates melted. When I went to line my kids’ stockings, I had to use plastic from the heavy disposable diaper pkgs to equal my vintage stocking. We don’t put oranges in them anymore, but chocolate is a requirement and I was trying to duplicate the one my mom had lovingly crafted for me. This year I’m using a red plush stocking. Why? Because I’ve used my old felt one every Christmas for approx 50 yrs. From now on, it’ll grace my wall with dignity and then maybe, last another 50 years.

Anita is a lovely friend and a reader extraordinaire. You can visit her blog to see what she has to say about the many many books she reads. CLICK HERE.