Through all the glitz and glitter and lights choreographed to dance to music on Destin’s Candy Cane Lane, this one thing stopped my heart. In a quiet location, there stands a small Christmas tree wrapped with more memories than I can begin to tell you.
Nancy Murphy, of Sea Oats Drive in Destin, owns this tree built by her grandmother from memorabilia of things worn by members of her family. The 17-inch tree is placed in a picture frame and is built from memories of a lifetime.
You can even turn on tiny lights that are placed throughout the tree.
The trunk of the tree is made from double silver captain’s bars worn by her father while in the Air Force. Scattered throughout the tree are gold and silver leaves as her father moved up to the rank of major and then lieutenant colonel.
The widest part on the bottom of the tree finds an old charm bracelet with dangling mementos of life. Above that, the tree itself is composed of old clip earrings, pins and brooches piled one on top of the other. These memories float into place from Nancy’s mother, grandmother and great grandmother. There is a Girl Scout pin worn by her mother and a political pin from John F. Kennedy’s run for President.
Perhaps some of you out there still have the time to make your own memory tree. How I wish it was not too late for me. Merry memories to you all.