Christmas Memories

A Christmas ornament surrounded by lights and ribbon hangs on our main Christmas tree downstairs in our den.

For this photo, I chose a somewhat generic ornament. We have lots and lots of ornaments on our trees, and all of them are significant and special to us in some way. But for this photo, I just wanted to capture the feeling of a somewhat generic ornament on the tree, because Christmas memories are different for everyone

Christmas Memories

One of the unique things about Christmas is that just about everyone has memories of Christmases past. And those memories are special. Perhaps it is because of the whole Christmas season being special, or maybe it is because we often get to be with loved ones at Christmas. Whatever the reason, those Christmas memories often stand out.

As a society, we probably have some shared memories, mostly relating to something we have all seen on television or in a movie. Isn’t it interesting how there are certain movies and shows relating to Christmas that you just HAVE to see, because otherwise you won’t know what everyone else is talking about? There are several shows that fall into that category. But not every Christmas show makes the cut. It has to have that special, elusive something that captures people’s attention. For many, Hallmark may have discovered the secret sauce for that. But then, so did Charlie Brown all those years ago.

However, so many Christmas memories are unique to the individual. Maybe you remember what traditions your family had on Christmas morning, or perhaps on Christmas Eve. Maybe it was shopping for a live Christmas tree when more people used to do that. Or maybe it was a certain family gathering. Remember when we would all get together at our great-grandparents’ house before Christmas? No? That is because it was our family thing to do, and not yours. And that is okay.

Each family has its own Christmas traditions. And then when someone from that family grows up and starts his own family, they develop their own Christmas traditions. They might be different from those of the previous generation. And you might still have those good Christmas memories from the past, but it is good to create your own, too. I could tell you all about mine, but chances are pretty strong that they would be quite different from yours. I could tell you all about my Christmas memories, but you probably just want to remember your own, instead.

This year, I hope that you create lots of good new Christmas memories while fondly remembering the times of past Christmases, too.

And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. - Luke 2:7

About the Photo

This photo has many similarities to the previous photo, although it has a lot of differences, too.

As for similarities, I took both photos on the same day. Both are of Christmas trees. Both have lots of color and lights. And both were taken with the same lens.

But there are some differences. For starters, the two photos were from different Christmas trees. The aspect ratio of the two photos is different. This photo is much brighter than that previous one was. And this one was meant to be just a bit more abstract than that previous one, too.

There is nothing wrong with either photo. Just like there is nothing wrong with your Christmas memories versus mine. All are good! And that’s good.

Photo: A single JPG exposure, processed in GIMP and Raw Therapee. Read more about photography tips, photo software, camera gear, and more at Steve’s Photography Tips.
Camera: Sony Alpha A7 II
Lens: SonyFE 50mm f/1.8
Date: December 12, 2022
Location: Williston, Tennessee