Totem

According to Wikipedia, a totem is a spirit being, sacred object, or symbol that serves as an emblem of a group of people, such as a family, clan, lineage, or tribe.

Growing up, our Christmas Tree was our totem.  It held ornaments that symbolized many things: family, love, loss, friendship, youth, charity, teamwork, hobbies, humor, art, and our elders. There were handmade ornaments that I made in Campfire Girls or that my brother made in wood shop. There were ornaments that we had received as gifts from co-workers, friends, and family members. There were ornaments that were handed down from prior generations. There were ornaments we bought because they reminded us of someone we love.

Some years I don’t have a real Christmas Tree, though I always feel the urge to create my family totem during the winter holiday season.  The past few years, it’s been my Ikea lamp.  When it stops working, I will have to come up with a different plan.

My family is scattered – close in heart but physically all over the place.  We don’t have traditional family holidays like you see in the movies or on TV.  We wing it, and it’s okay.  Because of this, I feel like the Family Totem allows me to think of each person with every ornament I place.  No two years are the ornaments in the same place: much like all of my family members.  Regardless of where each of us are physically, the totem is a symbol that, still, we all hang around the same tree…the family tree.

Oh Christmas tree, Oh Christmas tree!
The leaves are so unchanging
Oh Christmas tree, Oh Christmas tree,
The leaves are so unchanging

Not only green when summer’s here,
But also when it’s cold and drear.
Oh Christmas tree, Oh Christmas tree,
Thy leaves are so unchanging!

Oh Christmas tree, Oh Christmas tree,
Such pleasure do you bring me!
Oh Christmas tree, Oh Christmas tree,
Such pleasure do you bring me!

For every year the Christmas tree,
Brings to us all both joy and glee.
Oh Christmas tree, Oh Christmas tree,
Such pleasure do you bring me!

Oh Christmas tree, Oh Christmas tree,
You’ll never be unchanging!
A symbol of goodwill and love
You’ll ever be unchanging

Each shining light
Each silver bell
No one alive spreads cheer so well

Oh Christmas tree, Oh Christmas tree,
You’ll ever be unchanging