Saturday, December 28, 2013

Skirting the Issue

While browsing a local antique store, I spied a Christmas tree skirt made of felt and sequins, similar to the tree skirts from my childhood.  It was well preserved and bright, despite the decades that had obviously passed since it had been made.  Someone with whom I work told me recently that she was going to wear a Christmas tree skirt around her shoulders to an "ugly sweater" party.  That got me to thinking about the year that I wore a Christmas tree skirt -- as a skirt.  I was in a high school girls' club called Thalia.  One of our annual activities was to entertain area elementary school children at Christmastime.  My role one particular year was to help lead the children in the singing of Christmas songs.  We all dressed in costume. I dressed as an elf.  As I created my costume I pondered, what better skirt for one of Santa's elves to wear than a Christmas tree skirt?  Mom had made it of Christmas-green felt, edged by holly leaves and berries of lighter green and red felt.  The skirt was bright and cheery, surely something a female elf would wear. Standing in front of that felt and sequined tree skirt in the antique store recently, I was suddenly swept away to the past, remembering where we stood in one of the schools' gymnasiums, surrounded by little children sitting cross-legged on the floor, singing away to "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer."  Isn't the memory an amazing and blessed thing? Just the act of admiring a vintage Christmas tree skirt brought back the vivid thoughts of a happy time from long ago.  If the skirt is still there the next time I visit that antique store, I just may have to try it on for old time's sake.

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