I had the bright idea of trying to do a travel-themed Christmas tree this year. An Atlanta Olympic ornament found a place on the tree because I went with Mom to Atlanta when I was a kid. An Empire State Building ornament is there as a reminder of the trip I took to NYC in spring of 2010. A Hallmark ornament representing my trip to Vegas in 2009 made it onto the tree. There are some ornaments from local places, too, such as the National Law Enforcement Officers' Memorial in DC and George Washington's home, Mount Vernon. (I love the Mount Vernon one because it's a globe--how fitting for a travel-themed tree. The ornament is modeled after the globe George Washington had.) Some ornaments are on the tree purely because they were bought on vacations and may or may not actually represent the places they came from: Jacques from Cinderella is on the tree because Mom and I got him when we were at Disney World in Florida when I was too young to really remember; Belle from Beauty and the Beast is there because I apparently got her during a trip to the Outer Banks in 1992 (I only know this because Mom wrote it on the back).
Needless to say, it wasn't long before I was making up far-fetched reasons for putting some of the ornaments on the tree. Various Snoopy figurines are snowboarding/sledding/skating--if it's a mode of transportation, it counts (right?). Detective Snoopy must be searching out great travel deals online while Woodstock takes notes. Snoopy and Woodstock ride WWII Flying Ace Snoopy's Sopwith Camel, clearly a great way to fly (I bet he wouldn't charge checked bag fees!). No fewer than three Snoopy ornaments possess typewriters because clearly Snoopy would write books about his adventures. (Side note: Why are there so many Hallmark Snoopy ornaments with typewriters? Have an original idea already!) Snoopy and Woodstock play guitars for another ornament, which I could rationalize as representing the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, a place I hope to visit one day (I went to the short-lived branch of it in NYC, so I guess that counts). I could say I put all these Snoopy ornaments on the tree because last year I went to Charles Schulz's longtime home of Santa Rosa, California, although none of the ornaments actually came from the Charles Schulz Museum. But how could I explain Wall-E's presence on the tree other than to say that he's traveled farther than almost anyone else--from Earth to space and back again? Yeah, it's a stretch.
I have an ornament that I believe was a party favor at the wedding anniversary party for a couple who are friends of my parents. It's from Holland and features windmills. I won't put it on my tree because I haven't actually been there, nor do I have any real desire to go to Holland.
Clearly the answer to my dilemma is that I have to travel more and collect more ornaments. I pull out the ones I have and fondly remember my time in the place where I got the ornament and who I was with while there. I figure it's better than getting tchotchkes that sit around my apartment all the time that only take up space and collect dust--I don't have room for things like that. I can take hundreds of pictures while traveling, but how likely am I to look at them again? Not very, unfortunately.
I am a bit sad to think that there were places I've been that I didn't get ornaments from. It's not that I wasn't trying in Utah, but I wanted an ornament that represented one of the locations I went, such as Red Butte Garden, not an ornament that simply came from its gift shop. (I really wish I'd hit up that Christmas store in Park City.) I don't think I got an ornament in Italy, so instead I have a Hallmark ornament representing Italy on my tree. I don't remember getting one in Yellowstone either. I know I bought ornaments from Asheville, NC, where I was just two weeks ago, and Natural Bridge, VA, where I went back in September with some friends, and even though I just relocated them the other day, I can't remember where to.
Hopefully by this time next year I'll have collected more ornaments. In the meantime, merry Christmas and happy holidays, and a happy new year to you.
