A Christmas Tree Exhibition!!!

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree,
Your branches green delight us!
They are green when summer days are bright,
They are green when winter snow is white.
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree,
Your branches green delight us!

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree,
You give us so much pleasure!
How oft at Christmas tide the sight,
O green fir tree, gives us delight!
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree,
You give us so much pleasure!

A Christmas Tree exhibition?! I couldn't miss it! I mean really, at only about a 50 minute drive, could you?

It's at the Reagan Library in Simi Valley. An American Christmas runs until January 8th and it's pretty incredible and so creative!

Each tree represents a particular decade, beginning in the same decade as the Declaration of Independence. You cannot believe what they put on these trees! I don't have many distance shots in this post, because with my little "point and shoot" camera, you can't really see what anything is, from more than a few feet away.

There were so many "decorations" on each tree, reflecting what was going on in American society and the culture during a particular decade. (1700-2010) I basically picked the photos that weren't blurry since I wasn't using a flash. There was so much more than what I have shown here! You could go back over and over and notice something different every time.

1770-1779

1800-1809

Among other things, this tree (below) represented the Louisiana Purchase, which doubled the country's size and the famous Lewis and Clark expedition which happened a year later.

I think this was the 1810-1819 tree, but I'm not sure. I just love having a wooden ship on a tree!

1830-1839 There was a lot of things going on this tree including Davey Crockett's coonskin hat, Sam Houston's portrait, references to the Alamo and the kindergarden movement.

I love the old book on the tree, with the rough woven ribbon ...

1840-1849

The frontier, westward movement, wagon trains and the discovery of gold at Sutter's Mill, as well as works by Poe and Longfellow.

1860-1869

Included a copy of the Gettysburg Address and Lincoln's stovepipe hat and Emancipation proclamation.

1870-1879

The industrial Age ... a railroad boom, newly developing athletic sports like tennis and football and the establishment of Yellowstone Park.

1890-1899

1890-1899 The Ferris Wheel at the Chicago World's Fair, the establishment of Yosemite National Park .... the Happy Birthday melody ...

1900-1909

The Wright Brothers tested their Wright Flyer, Henry Ford introduced the model T, Sears Roebuck catalogs and mass production of things like Teddy bears, as well as a telephone and a newspaper with the tragedy of the San Francisco earthquake in the headlines ... all were represented on this tree.

1920-1929

The jazz Age, American prosperity, prohibition, Babe Ruth and Charles Lindbergh ...

1940-1949

1950-1959 with the 1960-1969 tree in the background ( Please click on photos to enlarge, for more detail!)

1960-1969

The photos to the left are veterans who volunteer as docents at the library ...

1970-1979

1980-1989

There were all sorts of things on this tree but I went with E.T.

;)

2000-2009

2010-2119 (Doesn't 2019 sound like forever away?)

Since we really don't know what the decade will look like, they put question marks on the tree and asked not only what will it look like when we look back but what do want it to look like?

What are your hopes and dreams for this decade?

What can we do to create it?

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree
Forever true your colour.
Your boughs so green in summertime
Stay bravely green in wintertime.
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree
Forever true your colour.

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree
You fill my heart with music.
Reminding me on Christmas Day
To think of you and then be gay.
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree
You fill my heart with music.

English Lyrics Unknown Origin

(or a million origins)

Hope you are having an amazing week filled with holiday cheer!

And

Happy Hanukkah!