Merry Christmas from Winnie

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WG-ElfHi, Winnie Griggs here.

Today I wanted to share the story behind one of the Christmas decorations that goes up at my house every year.  The little table top tree pictured below is actually one that sat in my grandparent’s living room when I was a little girl.   The bubble lights are built into it and were the only decorations the little tree needed.   I used to sit and just watch it, transfixed by the motion of those beautiful lights.  To me it was like magic.

 Bubble light tree

Years later, when my grandparents were gone and we were cleaning out their home, my sister beat me to the punch and laid claim to that tree.  Then, several years later, she told me she hadn’t ever been able to get it to work, but couldn’t bear to throw it out.  Knowing I was a collector of family memorabilia, she asked if I wanted it.  Of course I jumped at the chance to have it, if merely for the nostalgia of it.  But imagine my delight when I got it to work again.  It is beginning to show it’s age (it is over 50 years old!!) but I still love looking at it and watching the merry bubble lights, just as I did at my grandmother’s all those years ago.

And now a Christmas card from me to you

Christmas wish

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Winnie Griggs is the author of Historical (and occasionally Contemporary) romances that focus on Small Towns, Big Hearts, Amazing Grace. She is also a list maker, a lover of dragonflies and holds an advanced degree in the art of procrastination.
Three of Winnie’s books have been nominated for the Romantic Times Reviewers Choice Award, and one of those nominations resulted in a win.
Winnie loves to hear from readers. You can connect with her on facebook at www.facebook.com/WinnieGriggs.Author or email her at winnie@winniegriggs.com.

27 thoughts on “Merry Christmas from Winnie”

  1. Merry Christmas, Winnie! I love your story of the little tree with the bubble lights you grew up with. Special memories of days gone by are some of the best.

  2. Pingback: Busy Mama » Merry Christmas from Winnie

  4. My father in law has been telling me about these lights. I have never seen them before. He thought he had some in basement but we couldn’t find any.

  6. Merry Christmas to you! I love your tree. My grandma had a little tree that I would always look at while at her house. When she passed away two years ago a cousin of mine quickly claimed it. It made me sad, but I’m hoping she had the same memories I do and is happy to see it in her own home. 🙂

  7. That’s so special that you got the lights to work again.
    We have some decorations that are special too. I’m trying to find duplicates so someday both children can have each.
    Merry Christmas!

  13. Wow! What a neat piece of family history! I’m glad your sister didn’t throw it out. Must’ve been providence in getting it to work again. I used to love those bubble lights. Like you, I could watch them for hours. I saw some reproductions a few years ago but they weren’t the same.

    Merry Christmas to you and your family!!

  15. Hi Linda! I’m not much of a do-it-yourselfer, but this one turned out to be a super easy fix. One of the sockets for the bulbs was empty – that bulb apparently burned out or broke. It turns out the tree only works if all the bulbs are in place, which neither of us was aware of. But shortly after she gave it to me I found a replacement at an estate sale and thought I’d give it a shot. And voila! it works again.

  19. Hi Quilt Lady – thanks! I have a few things from my maternal grandparents and those mementos are special to me. Unfortunately I have nothing from my paternal grandparents but some fading memories. And I hope you have a very Merry Christmas

  24. Hello Winnie. you are very lucky to have some of the family treasures. Guess was lucky for you that thry don’t mean as much to some as they do us. But, I don’t have any because I’m youngest of 3 older sisters seemed to get all of them. You see they didn’t have a lot for I think 3 of our homes burned in the past and they lost so much, but never any of the family. Thank GOD for that. But I had wonderful christian , loving parents and siblings. Many years an aunt was close to me sent me a small box of older pictures which I treasure. Wishing you
    a Wonderful Merry Christmas as we celebrate our Savior’s birth. Maxie
    mac262(at)me(dot)com

  25. Merry Christmas to you as well Cori! And a most blessed and prosperous New Year.

    Maxie, so sorry to hear about the fires and lost family treasures. But as you say, family IS the most important treasure. Wishing you a Christmas season filled with joy and blessings

  27. LOL Mary, She and I had that gloating, guess-I-was-meant-to-have-it-all-along conversation years ago 🙂
    But she won’t read this as she’s celebrating a new grandbaby right now, so we’re all good anyway!

    Have a Merry Christmas!!

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