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Memory Makers: Readers share stories behind favorite ornaments, decorations

By Holly Claycomb 18 min read

Whether styrofoam balls festooned with ribbons and sequins, construction paper Santas or store-bought baubles, when it comes time to decorate for Christmas, readers said hanging the ornaments brings back a flood of memories. Sometimes, though, it isn't the ornaments that are cherished, but the tree upon which they are displayed.

The latter is the case for Del Smith and his wife, Marvina, whose entire tree is special.

"This Christmas tree was purchased by my wife at Sears in Springfield, Missouri, before we were married," Smith said, noting the tree is now 39 years old.

The Smiths have set the tree up in Missouri, Indiana, Utah and, for the past 20 years, in Pennsylvania. Smith, lead pastor at Faith Assembly of God, Roaring Spring, said it is the only tree the couple have had, the only tree their three children have known and now their six grandchildren are experiencing the tree's beauty each Christmas.

"If this tree could talk, I'm sure it would share the many joys of Christmases past, and tears shed as we experienced the overwhelming happiness of Christmas," he said.

Throughout the years, the tree stood witness as the couple learned they would be grandparents again … and again, he said. "That never gets old."

The tree is decked with pictures of their children and grandchildren, as well as family members, such as his parents and in-laws, who have passed away.

At the end of the holiday season, each ornament is carefully packed away, and the tree is disassembled and boxed up until next season. "It's a special part of our family," he said

Mary Colombo of Altoona has decorated many a Christmas tree in her 84 years, but this year, she decided to use a pretty ceramic tree she received in the late 1950s.

The tree was made by the late Pauline Hughes for Colombo. "It was almost like a wedding gift," Colombo said, noting she was married in 1961. While Colombo has other things Hughes made, this is the first year that she has used the ceramic tree.

"This is making me very happy, my little tree," she said. That, coupled with an artificial house plant strewn with lights, brightens her winter nights, she said. "I am so enjoying it."

A tree displayed by Martinsburg resident Barbara Black was created due to heartbreak, but it now stands as a testament to hope, peace and love.

"We lost our first baby at birth," Black said, noting the date as Oct. 4, 1977. "That year I didn't want to celebrate or decorate" for Christmas, but her husband thought they should at least have a tree.

"I asked him to go into the woods and bring me a thorn tree so that it would match the pain in my heart," she said. He proceeded to get the tree, attach it to a board and paint it white. She then put blue lights on it to match the mood of the house.

"He said it would only last a year since it was just a dried up old thorn bush," she said.

Over the years, their grief subsided and they had a healthy baby boy. The color of the lights on the "old thorn bush" changed and ornaments their son made in Sunday school class and Boy Scouts, joined ones given by friends and family.

The thorn tree that "wouldn't last a year" now stands for its 46th year, she said.

Standing the test of time

Unpacking the ornaments each year is a family tradition, readers said, with many once-new pieces now keepsakes passed down from generation to generation.

An antique German Kugel -- a heavy round, gold ornament measuring 4.25 inches around -- has been in the Baumgartner family since 1894. Now in the fifth generation, the 129-year-old mercury glass ball is displayed by Jeff and Michelle Baumgartner.

What in pictures appears to be a similar gold ball was "a gift for my father's first Christmas," said William E. "Bill" Smith of Altoona. His father was born in 1901 in the Newburg section of Altoona. "It has been placed on Christmas trees in our home ever since," he said.

A glass ball is also special to Karen Koehle of Duncansville, who has an ornament dating back to her childhood.

"It's very delicate," she said, and comes from her mother's collection, with Silent Night printed above a snow-filled scene that includes the Christmas star and a country church.

"When I was little, I always asked my parents if I could put 'Silent Night' on the tree, promising to be very careful not to drop it," she said. Over the years, that ornament was saved for last and remained her honor, as the oldest daughter, to hang it.

"Even after I got married and moved out of the house, my parents waited for me to come home and put up 'Silent Night,'" she said. "Their tree was never complete without it."

After her mother passed away in 2006, her dad gave her the ornament, Koehle said.

"It was difficult opening up that little box and seeing it, but when I placed the tiny ball on my own tree, I knew my mother was with us and always would be," she said.

As a preschooler in the 1960s, Donna Rhodes' imagination was captured by a blue teardrop that had the Holy Family nestled inside. "I loved this ornament," she said. "I'm not sure whether my fascination was with the Holy Family characters, the color blue or the combination."

The ornament, one of a set of four -- blue, red, green and yellow -- made up the Christmas story, with the blue and red ornaments containing the Holy Family and the green and yellow, the four carolers.

"When I got married and we began our own ornament collection, my mother gave us my favorite blue teardrop. This vintage ornament remains a treasured possession of mine -- especially since my mother passed away in September. ... Memories become more meaningful as the years pass," Rhodes said.

Ornaments mark not only special moments, but the passage of time, readers said.

Jason Barr said Tyrone was so proud of the local kids winning the State Championship in the late 1990s, that the Booster Club sold ornaments to commemorate the 1999 football team.

"Every Christmas it makes me smile to bring back those memories," he said.

An ornament that "has to be at least 75 years old" created a sparkly vision on the tree, said Michaela Benton, of the piece that was on her husband Dave's family Christmas tree.

The ornament was placed above an ol-fashion tree light -- which got very hot. The heat from the light caused the inside of the ornament to spin and create sparkles.

That ornament, along with a few that are made of wax, were painted, she said. "But after years of use, the paint has faded ... we still put them on our tree every year."

A pair of vintage Peanuts cartoon characters from the early to mid-1960s have a special place on Patricia Kenawell's tree in Tyrone. Her mom and dad, Arthur and Patricia Mills purchased the pair at the Boston Store in Erie, where they lived. "They both really liked the Peanuts cartoons in their daily paper," Kenawell said, noting she received the ornaments after her mother passed away about five years ago.

Heartfelt and handmade

Ornaments, whether painted, stitched or glued, compliment any Christmas tree -- and it doesn't matter who created the ornament, the time involved to make special pieces is part of the charm, readers said.

JoAnn Johnston of Hollidaysburg appreciates the skill it takes to create one-of-a-kind handmade ornaments, having purchased a crocheted ornament in the basement of the Jaffa Shrine Center during a craft show probably 45 years ago.

"I don't knit or crochet, but greatly appreciate that skill," she said, noting the ornament continues to be her favorite.

For Linda Gibson of Altoona, seeing ornaments created by her late friend, James Patton, brings back fond memories.

Patton of Altoona and formerly of Tyrone, created many ornaments, Gibson said, noting he started out with "baby's first Christmas" and those with people's names and years on them. Then he started getting more artistic, hand painting a lot of ornaments for a Tyrone church. "One person in Hollidaysburg bought 60 of them," said Gibson, who worked with him and remembers him every time she hangs ornaments he created. He passed away in 2018, she added.

Rachel DiAndrea has a hand-carved wooden Santa created by her mother, Barbara Logel of Strykersville, N.Y., a self-taught hobbyist wood carver.

"It's an artsy, unique and handmade ornament that hangs front and center on our tree," DiAndrea said, noting it was carved at least 25 years ago.

DiAndrea and family members used to conduct an ornament exchange in which everyone had to hand make an ornament. While they haven't picked it back up again after COVID-19, she continues to make ornaments for others.

"Last year, it was an ornament/book marker of 'Moon lilies' that I grew in my garden," she said. She illustrated a watercolor painting of the lilies, wrote a poem and harvested the seeds -- giving everyone a packet to grow, DiAndrea said.

"These handmade gifts mean so much more," she said. "I love making and I love giving them."

Myschel Maurer of Altoona and Marsha Kennedy of Pittsburgh said their favorite ornaments were lovingly made by their mom, Helen Pine.

"(She) made these Christmas balls for family and friends by the armload. She chained-stitched constantly, adding tiny beads, using regular or metallic thread. The amount of Christmas balls made were only surpassed by her crochet covered Easter eggs. Both crafts hold special places in many homes and hearts," the duo said.

Penguins, hearts, bells, snowflakes and so many more are Jeff Pearce's favorite ornaments, made by his grandmother Dorothy "Dot" McCartney.

"Some were made for me when I was just a boy and some for our son when he was a boy," Pearce said. "She made them for years for each of her unmarried grandchildren -- and there were a lot. My family treasures them all and they are still our favorites on the tree even after all these years."

Newly married in 1965, Barbara A. Marinak and her husband, who was in the Army, were living in Texas. That year the couple had very little money and couldn't afford to buy Christmas ornaments, so Marinak decided to make her own.

"I saved egg shells by blowing out the inside and then painted them with enamel paints from a small paint kit. With a little glue and glitter they turned out well," she said, noting she used yarn to make loops to hang them on a small, tabletop Christmas tree.

She was diligent about carefully packing the ornaments back into their egg cartons to protect them and they have lasted for 58 years.

"My children have them now and proudly display them on their own Christmas trees," Marinak said.

Joyce Otto of Duncansville continues to display a reindeer ornament made by her grandson, Chief Petty Officer Eric Sweet, when he was just a young boy in day care.

"The reindeer ornament has graced my Christmas tree for the last 30 years," she said. When her grandson made the ornament, he had changed his name to "Rocky" and was just learning his letters -- note the spelling of Pappy, she added.

Styrofoam balls with sequins and beaded Christmas wreaths are cherished by Jane (Mack) Kiser as they were made by her mother, Catherine Mack, more than 60 years ago. Kiser said she still uses her mother's ornaments and has a photograph taken a long time ago that shows the ornaments all hanging together on a tree. Her mother also painted ceramic houses and made felt covers to put under the tree, she said.

A baby Jesus made when she couldn't find exactly what she wanted continues to be her favorite ornament, said Barbara Parks of Alexandria.

"As a young parent, I saw an angel tree. It was magnificent," she said, explaining that inspired her to make a nativity-themed tree. "Ornaments I couldn't find, I made. This is my favorite, baby Jesus." The baby's head is made from painted clay and his body is wrapped in a soft cloth.

"He lays in the tree branches surrounded by other decorations pertaining to the Nativity, " she said, adding that a paper ribbon with the painted Christmas story from Luke 2, twines around the tree from top to bottom.

Ann and Philip DeHass of State College created an eclectic collection of ornaments for children, family and friends beginning in 1980, said niece Barbara L. Fischer of Altoona.

There are snowmen, churches, handprints, a moose, cow and Nittany Lion paw print, as well as a dinosaur and a flying pig, among the collection. "Each one celebrates Christmas or a special life event," she said.

The ornaments made by the couple, who celebrated their 73rd wedding anniversary on Dec. 15, "have been the most meaningful ornaments that I place on my tree," Fischer said.

Two of Beth Allen's most precious Christmas ornaments are photos of her children when they were young.

"I started keeping a photo of my kids in 1998, when they were one and three years old. ... Most of my Christmas tree ornaments are now photos of my most precious memories," said the Altoona resident. "Every holiday season, we reminisce over the various photos from the years gone by. My daughter Leah (28) has dance and baton pictures and my son John (26) has baseball and football picture ornaments. And now, I have my grandchildren's sonogram pictures in ornaments. Family is the most precious gift," she said.

Mar Sension of Altoona has an ornament of his beloved dog, Maddi, as does a bunch of other people, he said.

Maddi's photo was selected to grace the 2016 Bark Hallmark Christmas ornament and when it came up for sale in Hallmark stores that year, he purchased several, keeping one and giving the others away to friends who knew Maddi.

Now each Christmas, when he unwraps the ornament, memories of the fun contest and his once-in-a-lifetime companion "remind me how blessed we were. Her legacy lives on in many, many ways and for some, even on a Christmas tree. These thoughts and memories not only make me smile but they fill my heart with love and peace. And that's really what the holidays are all about," Sension said.

Topping it off

Each Christmas, Karen Sackandy of Altoona writes the year on the inside of the tree topper she uses, because with two very special decorations, she wants to give each their time in the spotlight.

The tree toppers were made in the early 1990s by her sons, Luke, now 38, who made an angel, and Alex, 36, a Santa.

The boys were in preschool when they made the masterpieces, she said, and while she's had to make minor repairs, they have stood the test of time and tiny hands.

"For all these years, I have alternated them, repaired them, and placed them on the tree with such sweet memories. I wouldn't think of having a store bought one. These are by far the best," she said, remembering the excitement the boys had when they brought their creations home and then later, looking forward to see "whose year it was" to put it on the tree.

Her boys might be all grown up now, she said, but they still get a chuckle out of her putting the very worn, tattered toppers on the tree.

Another topper, this one a store-bought angel, is too fragile to be used, said Gwen Black of Hollidaysburg. It was purchased when she and her sister were kids and features a silver and white gown, long white hair, a silver headband and a white light behind her head. Up until a few years ago, it was used to top the Christmas tree, she said. Now, though, it is preserved in its original box.

Because the angel looks like the one in the movie "The Bishop's Wife," each time they watch the movie, "it makes us remember those times gone by," she said.

Family lore, surprises

A Santa Claus that is 93 years old continues to inspire conversations, said Marilyn Adams of Juniata.

"According to family lore, my grandmother got this Santa as a giveaway from Gable's Department Store in 1930. She often told the story of taking my father and his brother on the streetcar from Juniata to Downtown Altoona for a picture with Santa at Gable's and received the Santa afterward. She was always quite adamant about the date," Adams said. The Santa is a bit scraped up from a tumble taken 28 years ago, she said, but "he smiles nonetheless."

The decoration may have been intended to be a tree topper, she said, but it was never used as such.

Debra Kelleher of Leesburg, Florida, formerly of Altoona, said her family received a delightful surprise from an ornament placed on the tree just a few months after her mother's death.

"My mother had lived with me for almost 16 years," Kelleher said. "Every year at Christmastime, she would help us put ornaments on the tree and we always had one fireplace ornament that wouldn't light up any longer, but we put it on the tree anyway."

The Christmas after her mother passed away, she and her husband were decorating the tree when they came upon the fireplace ornament, hoping maybe this year it would light.

"My husband even jokingly would sing 'Light My Fire,'" she said, telling him that if her mother was there, she would be laughing, too. "I said that sometimes spirits give us signs through lights, electronics, etc. Maybe if we said a prayer to St. Anthony to restore the light, it may work too. Guess what happened when my husband plugged in the ornament? We couldn't believe what we saw," she exclaimed.

A picture of Santa Claus made by Brandy Jo McCommons 33 years when she was a student at Wright Elementary has a place of honor in Scott and Cheri McCommons home, Scott McCommons said.

It cost $5 at the time, he said.

"I told her a long time ago that this Santa Claus we would keep until she is old enough and has her own family," he said, adding that Brandy now has a daughter, Liberty. Scott said he tells Liberty about the Santa Claus each Christmas, but for now it's staying "right here on our wall" as they enjoy sharing the memories associated with the Santa.

Ducks make Tipton's Sharon Rydbom happy, and ducks decked out for Christmas can be found around and on her Christmas tree.

"I got my first duckling at age 9, and that started my love of ducks," she explained. "I have had pet ducks for over 30 years."

Her husband got her a set of Christmas ducks years ago, and she added the duck bedecked tree, she said, and calls it "The Duck Family Christmas."

A Christmas decoration discarded by one family is a treasured keepsake for Catherine Prescott's family.

"My mother-in-law, who had mild dementia, came to our home every Sunday for dinner," she said, as an explanation to how it came to be that about 38 years ago in December, her mother-in-law showed up with a bedraggled Santa she found in the trash. "She said 'Look! Someone threw out a perfectly good Santa,'" Prescott said.

While her mother-in-law passed away many years ago, Prescott said, "This guy has been a part of Christmases every year since she brought him here. He has even been rescued from a dog who thought he was a toy," she said. "We probably have had him longer than his original owners. Now any time we see something of questionable value, we ask if it's perfectly good."

A gift turned decoration

Suzanne Johnson of Tipton wraps up readers' submissions this year with a tale of caution for folks both young and old.

Her mother, Isabelle, born in 1906, was the middle child of a Bald Eagle farm family that included five other children. Most years, they each received a bag of fruit and nuts, but Isabelle always asked for an iron, as she loved to watch her own mother neatly press clothing.

After what seemed like an eternity of fruits and nuts, Isabelle finally received an iron from Santa. She was so delighted that she placed the tiny iron on the cast iron stove and ran to find something to iron -- settling on a doll dress.

But, when she came back to grab the iron, she forgot to cover the handle and severely burned her right hand. With tears streaming, she ran outside and tossed the iron as far away as she could, Johnson said, and the iron was gone.

Until many decades later, when Isabelle's brother, Matt Sharer, who still lived on the farm, decided to tear down what was left of the saddle shop. "That year, on mom's 75th birthday, he gave her the iron she had thrown," Johnson said. "I keep that little object in the front of my China closet. Mom retold that story for years, and of course she always added this lesson, 'Be careful what you wish for.'"

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