Making a new tradition

The traditional Christmas tree can be topped with a star, or an angel. I've always preferred an angel - seems so much more special to me. Our tree at home as I was growing up always had an angel, too, so it might be that the nostalgia alone is what I hold onto.

The other day I was catching up on my friends' Facebook status updates (jebus almighty, what did we do before Facebook??), and I came across one including the following quote: "I don't need an Angel on top of my Christmas tree, I have one in Heaven watching over me"*. Ironically, I had just finished trimming our Christmas tree the night before. It was all done except the treetop was bare, because my angel was still packed away in another Christmas box that I'd not yet gotten to. The words hit home, and for a moment, I thought to myself, "Hmmm....so true; perhaps, this year, to honour our own Angels in Heaven, I'll leave the treetop bare". That same friend commented that this year, she instead put a star atop her tree, to remind her that she's had a good year, and to to signify that she and her family and friends are all stars in their own right, and they should shine brightly, like those shine above us, in Heaven.

She's right.

I am going to buy us a star for our tree. And the star will now have a brand new meaning for me - to symbolize our own very special shining stars who can't be with us in person this Christmas, but who will always be with us in spirit, shining down on us from Heaven, twinkling, and shining brightly, always.

*Thanks, Shemla, for your words of inspiration, and wisdom. :)