My husband and I married 35 years ago while in college and at a college for less fortunate kids to boot.  Suffice to say we were extremely limited as to funds.  With Christmas approaching we were determined to have a tree.  We went out to the college forest, just happened on the ranger, and explained that we really wanted a tree.  Was there any sick or damaged tree that we could cut?  Love his heart!  He took us out to a great stand of young pines and said pick any as long as it was just one.  He even had a saw and helped us.  (We had brought a kitchen knife!)  We joyfully picked about a seven foot tree, not thinking of needing more decorations. 

We cut back on groceries to buy one set of lights, glitter, and red and green yarn.  I sliced toilet paper tubes and wrapped the slices in yarn.  Glittered pine cones that we picked up on campus.  Blew out eggs that I was going to cook and glittered the shells.  We made a paper chain out of colored paper already on hand.

 

Thirty-five years later, we still have many of those ornaments - including an egg which I pack more carefully every year!  We do one twelve foot tree with all the ornaments we have collected over the years, a great many of which our children made and now our grandchildren are making.  But every year, as we place on the ornaments from that first year, we relive and reignite the youthful love and passion from that first year.  The age showing on the ornaments reminds us again of how much we have to be thankful for for these many wonderful years together.