Our Elva tree.

Our Christmas tree used to be done in all silver and crystal. I it was beautiful, but to my husband it lacked character. He had grown up with a tree with all sorts of decorations that the kids had made or what ever his Mom would buy at the base. It had charm to it, but I didn't really love it. I still lacked something.

My Mom always had a matching tree. It was always pretty. The down side of that though, is what ever ornament you thoughtfully made at school, wouldn't be placed on the tree....(unless you hid it in the back) So naturally when I got to be old enough to have a tree of my own, I had grand plans of a beautiful coordinated tree. I did a country craft tree for a few years until I found the prettiest silver set of Christmas glass balls. Then that became my tree afterward.

Well, Jeff requested about 4 years ago if we could just try having a mish mash tree. It was only fair. I also was getting stuff the girls made in school and they always would go on the tree, but they were throwing off the perfect balance.

He really changed my mind when he asked me if I had any memory of having a colorful tree. I had to only think for a second before my beloved Grandma Elva sprang to mind. She was my Great Grandma and if there ever could be a candidate for sainthood this woman would have been it hands down. I could go on and on of her perfections, but what I will talk about is her love of color. Her house to the outside eye would appear to be tacky. She had orange and white striped wall paper with brown flowers on one wall and a different paint color on the others. All of her furniture was different colors too.

So when her tree would go up, it was so fun and whimsical. It had bubble lights and other different shapes of lights in all different colors. The ornaments were an assortment of things their kids had made or things they had collected over the years. When we would go to their house, which was often, I would just sit in the chair and stare at the tree. I thought if Santa has a tree, this is what it would look like. Ahhh, memories.

That inspired me to go ahead with what I like to call the "Tacky Tree" It's bright, colorful, and filled with new and vintage ornaments. I like to collect the 40's-60's era of ornament. I settle for recreations too. Before I buy an ornament I think, "Would I see this on Grandma's tree?" If it's a yes, I buy it. I know that people may look down on my tree for not being sophisticated and styled, but in my mind it is. It's Elva styled, and I don't think you can do better than that!


I can never seem to get a picture that shows it off all the way. I think I need to study my camera manual more. The tree has about 800 lights on it. Since the tree is a real one, that's as strait as we could get it. I still love it.









Abbey and Lindsay do most of the decorating on their own. We do move stuff around afterward though. Don't most parents?





You can see Bruce's ear in the corner of the shot. He's on my lap.

My mom got me these trees last year. I wanted more color for my tacky display. It also creates the perfect scape for the Santa Abbey made. I made the wreath on the stand this year too.

I hope you enjoyed my lovely Elva inspired decorations. Jeff wants me to show his Christmas village in a post sometime. Maybe I will do that next.