Tree Topper Before and After

Well, I knew it would happen sooner or later. When I put up the Christmas tree this year, our tree topper, the one we've had all our married lives, didn't work. It had lights in it so it was something of a Christmas miracle that it lasted as long as it did. I have an oddly specific memory of buying it - nothing fancy... We were shopping together are Meijer and picked it up - for about eight dollars. It was a "grapevine" star, painted gold, and I loved the way it looked on our tree. I especially loved the play of the lights from the star against the ceiling...

I played around with it for a while and eventually figured out which bulb was out. Eventually I was able to get 9 of the 10 bulbs to light up, but I had images of the star repeatedly going out while on top of the lit and decorated Christmas tree and that would have made me really unhappy. 

As sad as I was/am to say goodbye to that star, I figured I had better just toss it and find a new one. 

I went back to Meijer, this time with Michael (times have changed!), and purchased a new gold star. I had the foresight to purchase one without lights this time. Incidentally, this one was also only eight dollars. As long as I'm careful packing and unpacking it each year, it should last a long time. While it doesn't give the same glow to the top of our tree, I still think it is pretty. And this gold star is a bit glittery so it is especially pretty with the tree lights reflecting off it in the evening. 

I did not love it at first, but it's growing on me...

(Thanks to my friend Tracy for caring about my Christmas decoration madness and asking me to post about this.)

*****

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