The Unity Christmas Tree
This ornament exchange originally started in July 2001, but it didn't get started off as well as I wanted. Then, the horrible tragedy of Sept. 11th occurred, and I just lost interest in the exchange. How could I worry over a silly ornament exchange with everything that was going on with our nation?
As Christmas approached, I decided to decorate my Christmas tree in red, white, and blue. I could picture the tree with a big bow on top and long flowing streamers, red garland draped all around, and flags scattered throughout. Then the ornament exchange came back to my mind. I thought how nice it would be to have it covered with handmade ornaments made by loving hands from across the USA. It seemed like the perfect way to complete the tree.
For the 2001 exchange (A Patriotic Christmas Tree), I received 35 ornaments from 21 states. The 2002 exchange (The American Christmas Tree) ended with a total of 26 ornaments received from 17 different states. So far, my 2003 exchange has produced 27 ornaments from 22 different states plus 1 from Washington, D.C. I have received some of the nicest emails, and I feel that I have made new friends from far and near. The Unity Christmas Tree is decorated with ornaments from all fifty states plus the one from Washington, D.C. I know D.C. is not a state but it is a very important part of our government.
I guess the ornament that is most special to me is the one I received from Ridge, New York. I never dreamed of receiving one from that state during the 2001 exchange. I just figured that everyone was still numb over the World Trade Center tragedy. The lady that sent the ornament said, “They wanted to show that they cannot be kept down”. She sent a knitted stocking ornament, which she designed herself. She entered a brother ornament to the one she sent me in an ornament contest and won 2nd place. She also sent an ornament for the 2002 and 2003 exchange.
Interesting Facts:
· The most popular ornaments received were angels: 8 (2001), 6 (2002), and 3 (2003). Most were traditional ornaments but one was a patriotic angel made from a pinecone (NJ).
· A Silver Spider ornament (VA) came with a legend. According to the legend, a poor woman had no decorations for her tree. A spider had hidden in the tree to escape her dust mop and that night the spider crawled about the tree leaving a dusty web. When the woman awoke on Christmas morning, she found the dusty web had turned to shimmering silver.
· The largest state, TX, also sent the most ornaments: 6 (2001), 4 (2002), and 1 (2003).
· Kid’s Adventure from Spring, TX participated in the 2001 and 2002 ornament exchange. Kid's Adventure is a school age childcare facility. The Citizenship Club, consisting of children 9 year olds and up, participates in community-based projects. They were thrilled to participate in this ornament exchange.
· I received an ornament from Lebanon, MO; Lebanon, TN; Lebanon, OR; Pulaski, NY; and Carthage, SD.
· Most popular medium of ornaments was crochet: 13 (2001), 9 (2002), and 5 (2003). Total of 27 crocheted ornaments.
· The state of Maryland is known for their blue crab. The MD ornament is made from a blue crab shell.
· The SD ornament is a miniature straw bale. It came from the director of the The Campbell Original Straw Bale Built Museum in Carthage, SD. The museum is made using 1300 straw bales (14 inches tall, 18 inches wide, and 36 inches long). There are 1300 bales in the building. Stucco has been put on the outside of the straw to protect it from the weather. It is the largest originally built straw bale museum in the nation.
· The ornament from New Mexico features the symbol from the NM state flag: